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2 Samuel 20
Modern English Version
2 Samuel 20
Modern English Version
Sheba Rebels Against David
20 There happened to be a worthless man there whose name was Sheba the son of Bikri, a Benjamite. He sounded the trumpet and said,
“We have no share in David,
nor do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse;
every man to his tents, O Israel.”
2 So every man of Israel withdrew from following David and followed after Sheba the son of Bikri, but the men of Judah stayed with their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
3 When the king came to his house in Jerusalem, he took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep watch over the house, and he placed them in custody. He provided for them but did not go in to them. They were shut up until the day of their deaths, living as in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon for me the men of Judah in three days, then present yourself here.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the deadline determined for him.
6 So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bikri will cause more harm for us than Absalom. You take your lord’s servants and pursue after him. Otherwise, he will find fortified cities and escape from our sight.” 7 The men of Joab went out after him, along with the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all of the warriors; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri.
8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his battle armor, and fastened on it was a belt with a sword in its sheath at the waist. As he went forward, it fell out.
9 Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” and he took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on guard against the sword in the hand of Joab, and he struck him in the midsection spilling his entrails on the ground. He died without being struck a second time. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikri.
11 Now one of the young men of Joab stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 Now Amasa was wallowing in his own blood in the middle of the path. When the man saw that all of the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the path to the field and threw a covering over him, when he observed that everyone who passed by would stop. 13 Once he removed him from the path, all of the men passed by, following Joab in pursuit of Sheba the son of Bikri.
14 He passed through all of the tribes of Israel toward Abel Beth Maakah, also passing by all of the Bikrites. Once assembled, they also came after him. 15 They came and besieged him in Abel Beth Maakah. They constructed a siege ramp against the city, standing it against the rampart. As all of the people who were with Joab were battering the city wall in order to bring it down, 16 a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Say to Joab, ‘Come closer so that I may speak with you.’ ” 17 When he came near, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”
He said, “I am.”
She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant,” and he said, “I’m listening.”
18 She said, “In former times, they would say, ‘Let them inquire carefully in Abel,’ and thus they would resolve an issue. 19 I am a trustworthy and faithful one of Israel. You are attempting to destroy a city, even a mother, in Israel. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”
20 Joab responded, “Far be it, far be it from me to swallow up or destroy. 21 That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri by name, has lifted his hand against King David. Only deliver him, and I will depart from the city.”
And the woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 The woman, with her wisdom, came to all of the people in the city, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikri. When they threw it to Joab, he blew the horn, and they dispersed from the city, each going to his own tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
David’s Officials
23 Now Joab was over the entire army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites. 24 Adoniram was over conscripted labor. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary. 25 Sheva was scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26 and also Ira the Jairite was priest to David.
2 Samuel 20
Revised Geneva Translation
2 Samuel 20
Revised Geneva Translation
20 Then a wicked man came there named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no part in David! Nor have we inheritance in the son of Ishai! Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
2 So every man of Israel went from David and followed Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung fast to their king, from Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 Then, when David came to his house, to Jerusalem, the king took the ten women (his concubines) whom he had left behind him to keep the house and put them in ward and fed them. But he no longer lay with them. But they were enclosed until the days of their deaths, living in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days. And be present here yourself.”
5 So Amasa went to assemble Judah. But he took longer than the time which had been appointed to him.
6 Then David said to Abishai, “Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and follow after him, lest he get himself walled cities and escapes us.”
7 And Joab’s men went out after him, and also the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men. And they departed out of Jerusalem, to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8 When they were at the great stone (which is in Gibeon), Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded to him. And upon it was a sword, girded, which hung on his loins in the sheath. And as he went, it would fall out.
9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in good health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand, to kiss him.
10 But Amasa took no notice of the sword that was in Joab’s hand. For with it, he struck him in the fifth rib, and poured out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him a second time. So, he died. Then Joab and Abishai, his brother, followed after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is of David’s part, let him get behind Joab.”
12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the road. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the road, into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, because he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13 When he was removed out of the road, every man got behind Joab, to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel: to Abel and Beth Maachah and all of Berim. And they gathered together and also got behind him.
15 So they came and besieged him in Abel, near Beth Maachah. And they cast up a siege mount against the city. And its people stood on the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab destroyed and cast down the wall.
16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear! Hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come here, so that I may speak with you.’”
17 And when he came near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “Yes.” And she said to him, “Hear the words of your handmaid.” And he answered, “I do hear.”
18 Then she spoke this: “They spoke in the old time, saying, ‘They should ask of Abel.’ And so, they have continued.
19 “I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. And you go about to destroy a city, and a mother, in Israel. Why will you devour the inheritance of the LORD?”
20 And Joab answered, and said, “May it never be! May it never be that I should devour or destroy it!”
21 “The matter is not so! But a man of Mount Ephraim (Sheba the son of Bichri, by name) has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver only him to us, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 Then the woman went, with her wisdom, to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and cast it to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet and they retreated from the city, each man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem, to the king.
23 Then Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,
24 and Adoram over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud the Recorder.
25 And Sheva was Scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
26 And also, Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
2 Samuel 20
New International Version
2 Samuel 20
New International Version
Sheba Rebels Against David
20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines(D) he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.
4 Then the king said to Amasa,(E) “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
6 David said to Abishai,(F) “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”[a] 7 So Joab’s men and the Kerethites(G) and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
8 While they were at the great rock in Gibeon,(H) Amasa came to meet them. Joab(I) was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.
9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger(J) in Joab’s(K) hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
11 One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt(L) there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,[b](M) who gathered together and followed him. 15 All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.(N) They built a siege ramp(O) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, 16 a wise woman(P) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” 17 He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he answered.
She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
18 She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. 19 We are the peaceful(Q) and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”(R)
20 “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”
The woman said to Joab, “His head(S) will be thrown to you from the wall.”
22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice,(T) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
David’s Officials
23 Joab(U) was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; 24 Adoniram[c](V) was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat(W) son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was secretary; Zadok(X) and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite[d] was David’s priest.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 20:6 Or and do us serious injury
- 2 Samuel 20:14 See Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew Berites.
- 2 Samuel 20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14); Hebrew Adoram
- 2 Samuel 20:26 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 23:38) Ithrite
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.