20
1 There
happened to be
there a wicked
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!”
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.
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.
4 Then
the king said to
Amasa, “Call me
the men of Judah
together within
three days, and
be here present.”
5 So
Amasa went to
call the men of
Judah together, but
he stayed longer than
the set time
which had been
appointed to him.
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.”
7 Joab’s
men went out
after him with
the Cherethites,
the Pelethites,
and all the
mighty men; and
they went out
of Jerusalem to
pursue Sheba the
son of Bichri.
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 along
it fell out.
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.
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
Sheba the son
of Bichri.
11 One
of Joab’s young
men stood by him,
and said, “He who
favors Joab, and
he who is
for David, let
him follow Joab!”
12 Amasa
lay wallowing in
his blood in
the middle 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.
13 When
he was removed
out of the
highway, all the
people went on
after Joab to
pursue Sheba the
son of Bichri.
14 He
went through all
the tribes of
Israel to Abel,
to Beth Maacah, and
all the Berites.
They were
gathered together, and
went also after
him.
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.
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.’ ”
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 servant.”
He answered, “I’m
listening.”
18 Then
she spoke, saying,
“They used to say
in old times, ‘They
shall surely ask
counsel at Abel,’
and so they settled
a matter.
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 LORD’s
inheritance?”
20 Joab
answered, “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. Just
deliver him, and
I will depart
from the city.”
The woman said
to Joab, “Behold,
his head will
be thrown to
you over the
wall.”
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. Then
Joab returned to
Jerusalem to the
king.
23 Now
Joab was over
all the army
of Israel, Benaiah
the son of
Jehoiada was over
the Cherethites and
over the
Pelethites,
24 Adoram was
over the
men subject to
forced labor,
Jehoshaphat the
son of Ahilud was
the recorder,
25 Sheva
was scribe, Zadok
and Abiathar were priests,
26 and
Ira the Jairite
was chief minister
to David.