2 Samuel 20

1 Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”

5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.

6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”

7 So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

8 And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

9 “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

10 Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

11 One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”

12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.

13 As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.

15 And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,

16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”

17 When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.

18 Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.

19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

20 “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

21 That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

25 Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

1 ¶ And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, [and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 ¶ Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

5 So Amasa went to assemble [the men of] Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle [with] a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that [was] in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth [rib], and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.

12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 ¶ And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that [were] with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].

19 I [am one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 The matter [is] not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, [even] against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast [it] out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

23 ¶ Now Joab [was] over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

24 And Adoram [was] over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder:

25 And Sheva [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:

26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

1 And there was there a certain man of renown, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Jemini: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Let every man take his place in his tent, O Israel.

2 And all the men of Israel fell from David, and followed Zeba the son of Bichri. And the men of Judah clave to their king from Jordan even unto Jerusalem.

3 And when king David was come home to Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines, which he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them; but he slept not with them. So they were shut up until their death, and lived as widows.

4 And the king said unto Amasa, Call me all the men of Judah unto the third day; and thou shalt stand here also.

5 And Amasa went to call Judah; but he delayed the time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said unto Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri hurt us more than Absalom. Take thou thy master's servants, and pursue after him, lest he find for himself strong cities, and escape out of our sight.

7 And the men of Joab went out after him, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. And they went out from Jerusalem after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 And when they were by the great stone that was in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded upon his garment that he had on, and had girded upon him a sword, which hung upon his thigh in the sheath, which went out with pleasure.

9 And Joab said unto Amasa, Peace be unto thee, my brother. And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, and kissed him.

10 And Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand; and he thrust him therewith in the belly, and his bowels were poured out upon the earth; and he gave him no more thrust, and died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 And one of the sons of Joab stood by him, and said, Defy, and make one of you Joab's sons, and make David Joab's son.

12 And Amasa lay rolled in blood in the midst of the street. And when one saw that all the people stood still, he turned Amasa out of the street into the field, and cast clothes upon him; because he saw that whosoever came nigh him stood still.

13 And it came to pass, when he was put out of the way, that every man followed Joab after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and Beth-maachah, and all Haberim: and they gathered themselves together, and followed him.

15 And they came and besieged Abel and Beth-maachah; and they heaped a rubble round about the city, and stood upon the wall: and all the people that were with Joab rushed, and would have cast down the wall.

16 And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear ye. Hear ye! Speak unto Joab, that he come hither; and I will speak unto him.

17 And when he was come unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, Yea: and she said unto him, Hear the speech of thine handmaid. And he said: I hear.

18 And she said, In old time they said: If any man will ask, let him ask of Abel: and it came to pass.

19 I am one of the peaceable and faithful cities of Israel: and wilt thou slay the city, and the mother of Israel? Why wilt thou devour the inheritance of the LORD?

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it from me, far be it from me, that I should devour and destroy. And it was not so;

21 But a man of mount Ephraim, whose name is Sheba the son of Bichri, hath rebelled against king David. Pray for him alone, and I will depart out of the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown over the wall unto thee.

22 And the woman came in unto all the people with her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it unto Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed themselves from the city every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

23 And Joab was over all the host of Israel. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Krethi and Plethi.

24 Adoram was chamberlain. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was chancellor.

25 And Seiah was a scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

26 And Ira the Jairite was David's priest.