2 Samuel 20
Sheba’s Rebellion
1Now 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!”
1And there happened to be a man of worthlessness, and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite man. And he blew with the shofar and said, “Unto us there is no share in David, nor an inheritance do we have in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel.”
2So 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.
2And every man of Israel deserted from after David, to after Sheba son of Bichri. And the men of Judah remained loyal to their king from the Jordan and as far as Jerusalem.
3When 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.
3And 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 he placed them in a house under guard. And he supported them, and to them he did not go in. And they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
6And 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.”a
6And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. You take the servants of your lord and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape our eyes.”
7So 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.
7And the men of Joab went out after him, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.
8And 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.a
8They were near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa came before their faces. And Joab was girded in his long robe for his clothing, and on it was a belt with a sword fastened at his hips in its sheath. And as he was going forward, it fell out.
10Amasa 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.
10And Amasa did not notice the sword that was in the hand of Joab, and he struck him with it in the stomach, and his bowels poured out on the ground, and he did not do it again to him, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.
12But 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.
12And Amasa was rolling around in his blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood still, and he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw over him a garment when he saw that everyone who came upon him stood still.
14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region ofa the Berites,b who gathered together and followed him.
14And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-Beth-maacah, and all the Berites. And they were gathered together and went also after him.
15And 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,
15And they came and besieged him in Abel-Beth-maachah, and they heaped up a mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab were destroying the wall to throw it down,
17When 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.
17And he had come near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And He answered, “I am.” And she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”
19I 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?”
19I am a peaceable and faithful one of Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of YHWH?”
21That 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.”
21The matter is not so! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22Then 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.
22And the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and they threw it to Joab. And he blew with the shofar, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.