Shmuel II - Chapter 20

1. Now there chanced to be there a base man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew a 'shofar' and declared, "We have no portion of David, neither have we an inheritence in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O' Israel."

2. And all the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri, but the men of Judah cleaved to their king from the Jordan until Jerusalem.

3. And David came to his house in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women [who were his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a guard-house where he sustained them, but he came not upon them. And they remained bound as widows [with husband yet] alive until the day of their death.

4. And the king said to Amasa, "Call together for me the men of Judah [within] three days, then be here present."

5. And Amasa went to call together the men of Judah, but he tarried past the set time which he had appointed him.

6. And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will cause us more harm than did Absalom; [therefore] take you your lord's servants and pursue after him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and save [himself before] our eyes."

7. And Joab's men went after him with the archers and the slingers and all the warriors; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

8. They were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, when Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his military coat as apparel, and thereon was a girded sword in its sheath [which was] fastened to his loins and he went forth, and it fell out.

9. And Joab said to Amasa, "Is all well with you, my brother?" And Joab's right hand took hold of Amasa's beard [as if] to kiss him.

10. And Amasa took no heed of the sword that was in Joab's hand; and he struck him with it to the fifth rib and he spilled out his bowels to the ground, and though he did not repeat, he [nevertheless] died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

11. And one of Joab's young men stood by him and he said, "He that favors Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab."

12. And Amasa was wallowing in blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people remained standing, so he veered Amasa off the highway into the field, and he threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came upon him stood still.

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

14. And he passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites; and they gathered together and they went after him too.

15. And they came and they besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they spilled [dirt to form] a mound against the city and it stood with [only] its inner wall; and all the people that were with Joab were battering to throw down the wall.

16. And a wise woman called out from within the city, 'Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab: 'Come closer to here so that I may speak to you.'

17. And he came near to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he said, "I am" And she said to him: 'Hear the words of your handmaid.' And he said: 'I am listening.'

18. And she spoke saying: "Surely they should have spoken first [to hear what they have] to say, had they inquired of [the people of] Abel, and so would they have made peace.

19. I am of [those] that are peaceful and faithful to Israel; [Why then] do you seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel? Why should you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?"

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

21. The matter is not so; but a man of the hills of Ephraim named Sheba the son of Bichri has lifted his hand against the king, against David; Give us him alone and I will depart from the city.' And the woman said to Joab, "His head shall be thrown to you over the wall."

22. And the woman came to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. And he blew the shofar, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23. And Joab was over the entire army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the archers and the slingers.

24. And Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

25. And Shvah was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.

26. And Ira the Jairite was a chief official to David.