2 Samuel Chapter 20 Back Next{20:1} 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,
Israel!"
{20:2} So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of
Judah joined with their king, from the
Jordan even to
Jerusalem.
{20:3} 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 custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn't go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their
death, living in widowhood.
{20:4} Then the king said to
Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present."
{20:5} So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
{20:6} David said to
Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than
Absalom did. Take your lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight."
{20:7} 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.
{20:8} When they were at the great stone which is in
Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his
apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.
{20:9} Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my
brother?" Joab took Amasa by the
beard with his right hand to
kiss him.
{20:10} But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn't strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
{20:11} 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!"
{20:12} Amasa lay wallowing in his
blood in the midst of the
highway. 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 everyone who came by him stood still.
{20:13} When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
{20:14} 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.
{20:15} 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 who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
{20:16} Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'"
{20:17} He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your
handmaid." He answered, "I do hear."
{20:18} Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, 'They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;' and so they settled it.
{20:19} I am among those who 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 Yahweh?"
{20:20} Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
{20:21} 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." The woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
{20:22} Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
{20:23} Now Joab was over all the
army of Israel; and
Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;
{20:24} and
Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;
{20:25} and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and
Abiathar were priests;
{20:26} and also
Ira the Jairite was chief
minister to David.
2 Samuel Chapter 20 Back Next