2 Samuel 20
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Sheba’s Revolt
20 Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram’s horn and shouted:
We have no portion in David,
no inheritance in Jesse’s son.
Each man to his tent,[a] Israel!
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.(A)
3 When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard.(B) He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
4 The king said to Amasa, ‘Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself.’ 5 Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him. 6 So David said to Abishai, ‘Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord’s soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.’[b]
7 So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai’s command;[c] they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. 8 They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt round his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. 9 Joab asked Amasa, ‘Are you well, my brother? ’ Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.(C) 10 Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died.(D)
Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. 11 One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, ‘Whoever favours Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab! ’ 12 Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the road to the field and threw a garment over him because he realised that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.(E) 13 When he was removed from the road, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites[d] came together and followed him. 15 Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp(F) against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, ‘Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.’
17 When he had come near her, the woman asked, ‘Are you Joab? ’
‘I am,’ he replied.
‘Listen to the words of your servant,’ she said to him.
He answered, ‘I’m listening.’
18 She said, ‘In the past they used to say, “Seek counsel in Abel,” and that’s how they settled disputes. 19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance? ’
20 Joab protested: ‘Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21 That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.’
The woman replied to Joab, ‘Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.’ 22 The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel,(G) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23 Joab commanded the whole army of Israel;(H)
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
24 Adoram[e] was over forced labour;(I)
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
25 Sheva was court secretary;
Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26 and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
2 Samuel 20
New Life Version
David’s Men Follow Sheba
20 A man of no worth happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He sounded the horn and said, “We have no share in David! We have no share in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!” 2 So all the men of Israel stopped following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah were not moved from following their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem. The king took his ten women whom he had left to take care of the house, and had a prison soldier watch them. David gave them food, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as women whose husbands had died.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and you be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah. But he took longer than the time which had been given him. 6 David said to Abishai, “Now Bichri’s son Sheba will bring us more trouble than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and go after him. Or he might find strong cities for himself, and get away from us.” 7 So Joab’s men went out after him. With them went the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the strong men. They left Jerusalem to go after Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 Amasa came to meet them at the large stone in Gibeon. Now Joab was dressed in soldier’s clothing. Over his clothing was a belt with a sword in its holder tied at his side. As he walked, the sword fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And he took Amasa by the hair of his face with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not see the sword which was in Joab’s hand. So Joab hit him in the stomach with it, and poured his inside parts out on the ground. He did not hit him again, and Amasa died.
Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 But Amasa lay in his blood in the center of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he took Amasa out of the road and into the field. And he threw a covering over him. 13 After he was taken out of the road, all the men went on and followed Joab to go after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 Sheba passed through all the families of Israel to Abel Bethmaacah. Then all the Berites gathered together and followed him into the city. 15 And all the men who were with Joab came and gathered their armies around him in Abel Bethmaacah. They built up a hill of dirt against the wall of the city. And they were trying their best to make the wall fall down. 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! I beg you, tell Joab to come here that I may speak with him.” 17 So he came to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your woman servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Let them ask for words of wisdom at Abel.’ And so they would stop fighting. 19 I am one of peace and faith in Israel. You want to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the gift of the Lord?” 20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim has turned against King David. His name is Sheba the son of Bichri. Give up only him, and I will leave the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “See, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman went to all the people with her plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the horn and they left the city, every man going to his home. Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.
23 Now Joab was the captain of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was captain of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. 24 Adoram was captain of those who were made to work. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the things that happened. 25 Sheva was the teacher. Zadok and Abiathar were religious leaders. 26 And Ira the Jairite was a religious leader to David also.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.