2Sam 20
1
And there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri,
a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither
have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2
So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son
of Bichri; but the men of Judah clave to their king, from the 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 provided them with sustenance,
but went not in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in
widowhood.
4
Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days,
and be you here present.
5
So Amasa went to call [the men of] Judah together; but he tarried longer than the
set time which he had appointed him.
6
And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did
Absalom: take you your lord`s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified
cities, and escape out of our sight.
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 came to meet them. And
Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle
with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it
fell out.
9
And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the
beard with his 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 body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and
he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11
And there stood by him one of Joab`s young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and
he who is for David, let him follow Joab.
12
And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man
saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the
field, and cast a garment over 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 to Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all
the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
15
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against
the city, and it stood against the rampart; 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, to Joab, Come
near here, that I may speak with you.
17
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art you Joab? And he answered, I am.
Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18
Then she spoke, 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 of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: you seek to destroy a city
and a mother in Israel: why will you swallow up the inheritance of YHWH?
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 the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri
by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him
only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head
shall be thrown to you over the wall.
22
Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of
Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they
were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem
to 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 men subject to taskwork; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud
was the recorder;
25
and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26
and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.