Now aa worthless fellow
happened
to be there
whose name
was Sheba
, the son
of bBichri
, a Benjamite
; and he blew
the trumpet
and said
, " cWe have
no
portion
in David
, Nor
do we have inheritance
in dthe son
of Jesse
; eEvery
man
to his tents
, O Israel
!"
So all the men
of Israel
1withdrew
from following
David
and followed
Sheba
the son
of Bichri
; but the men
of Judah
2remained
steadfast
to their king
, from the Jordan
even to Jerusalem
.
Then David came
to his house
at Jerusalem
, and athe king
took
the ten
women
, the concubines
whom
he had left
to keep
the house
, and placed
them under guard
and provided
them with sustenance
, but did not go
in to them. So they were shut
up until
the day
of their death
, living
as widows
.
Then the king said
to aAmasa
, "Call
out the men
of Judah
for me within three
days
, and be present
here
yourself
."
So Amasa went
to call
out the men of Judah
, but he adelayed
longer than
the set
time
which
he had appointed
him.
And David said
to aAbishai
, "Now
Sheba
the son
of Bichri
will do
us more
harm
than
Absalom
; btake
your lord's
servants
and pursue
him, so
that he does not find
for himself fortified
cities
and escape
from our sight
."
So Joab's men
went
out after
him, aalong with the Cherethites
and the Pelethites
and all
the mighty
men
; and they went
out from Jerusalem
to pursue
Sheba
the son
of Bichri
.
When they were at the large stone
which
is in aGibeon
, Amasa
came
1to meet
them. Now Joab
was 2dressed
in his military attire
, and over
it was a belt
with a sword
in its sheath
fastened
at his waist
; and as he went
forward
, it fell
out.
Joab said
to Amasa
, "Is it well
with you, my brother
?" And aJoab
took
Amasa
by the beard
with his right
hand
to kiss
him.
But Amasa was not on guard
against the sword
which
was in Joab's
hand
so ahe struck
him in the belly
with it and poured
out his inward
parts
on the ground
, and did not strike him again
, and he died
. Then Joab
and Abishai
his brother
pursued
Sheba
the son
of Bichri
.
Now there stood by him one
of Joab's
young
men
, and said
, "Whoever
favors
Joab
and whoever
is for David
, alet him follow
Joab
."
But Amasa lay
wallowing
in his blood
in the middle
of the highway
. And when the man
saw
that all
the people
stood
still
, he 1removed
Amasa
from the highway
into the field
and threw
a garment
over
him when
he saw
that everyone
who came
by him stood
still
.
As soon as he was removed
from the highway
, all
the men
passed
on after
Joab
to pursue
Sheba
the son
of Bichri
.
Now he went through
all
the tribes
of Israel
to Abel
, even Beth-maacah
, and all
the Berites
; and they were gathered
together and also
went
after
him.
They came and besieged
him in aAbel
Beth-maacah
, and bthey 1cast
up a siege
ramp
against
the city
, and it stood
by the rampart
; and all
the people
who
were with Joab
were wreaking
destruction
in order to topple
the wall
.
Then aa wise woman
called
from the city
, "Hear
, hear
! Please
tell
Joab
, `Come
here
that I may speak
with you.' "
So he approached her, and the woman
said
, "Are you Joab
?" And he answered
, "I am." Then she said
to him, "Listen
to the words
of your maidservant
." And he answered
, "I am listening
."
Then she spoke, saying
, "Formerly
they used to say
, `They will surely
ask
advice at Abel
,' and thus
they ended
the dispute.
"I am of those who are peaceable and faithful
in Israel
. aYou are seeking
to destroy
a city
, even a mother
in Israel
. Why
would you swallow
up bthe inheritance
of the LORD
?"
Joab replied
, "Far
be it, far
be it from me that I should swallow
up or destroy
!
"Such is not the case
. But a man
from athe hill
country
of Ephraim
, bSheba
the son
of Bichri
by name
, has lifted
up his hand
against King
David
. Only
hand
him over
, and I will depart
from the city
." And the woman
said
to Joab
, "Behold
, his head
will be thrown
to you over
the wall
."
Then the woman awisely
came
to all
the people
. And they cut
off
the head
of Sheba
the son
of Bichri
and threw
it to Joab
. So bhe blew
the trumpet
, and they were dispersed
from the city
, each
to his tent
. Joab
also returned
to the king
at Jerusalem
.
aNow Joab was over
the whole
army
of Israel
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
was over
the Cherethites
and the Pelethites
;
and Adoram was over
the forced
labor
, and aJehoshaphat
the son
of Ahilud
was the recorder
;
and Sheva was scribe
, and Zadok
and aAbiathar
were priests
;
and Ira the Jairite
was also
a priest
to David
.