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2 Samuelsboken 20
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
2 Samuelsboken 20
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Seba gör uppror mot David
20 Nu råkade Seba, son till benjaminiten Bikri, vara där. Han var en hetlevrad man, och plötsligt blåste han en trumpetsignal och ropade: Vi vill inte längre ha något att göra med David. Kom, Israels män, så ger vi oss av härifrån!
2 Då övergav hela Israel David och följde Seba. Männen i Juda däremot förblev trogna mot sin kung och följde honom från Jordan till Jerusalem.
3 När David kom till palatset i Jerusalem, gav han order om att de tio bihustrur, som hade lämnats kvar för att ta hand om palatset, skulle föras undan och sättas under bevakning i ett särskilt hus. De fick vad de behövde, men kungen ville inte ligga med dem. De fick leva som änkor och i husarrest till sin död.
4 Sedan befallde kungen Amasa att mobilisera Juda armé inom tre dagar och att också själv infinna sig då.
5 Amasa började sammankalla trupperna, men det tog längre tid än de tre dagar som han hade fått på sig.
6 Då sa David till Abisai: Den där Seba kommer att skada oss mer än vad Absalom gjorde. Skynda dig! Ta min livvakt och sätt efter honom, innan han sätter sig i säkerhet i en befäst stad där vi inte kommer åt honom.
7 Då gav sig Abisai iväg efter Seba med Joab och hans män och kungens egen livvakt.
8-10 Vid den stora stenen i Gibeon mötte de Amasa. Joab bar sin stridsmundering och hade en dolk i sin slida i bältet. När han gick fram för att hälsa på Amasa drog han försiktigt fram dolken. Jag är glad att få träffa dig, min bror, sa Joab och tog honom i skägget med sin högra hand, som om han skulle kyssa honom. Amasa lade inte märke till dolken i Joabs vänstra hand, och Joab stötte den i magen på honom så att inälvorna rann ut. Det räckte med ett hugg, Amasa dog omedelbart. Joab och Abisai fortsatte sedan att förfölja Seba.
11 En av Joabs officerare ropade till Amasas trupper: Om ni står på Davids sida, så kom och följ Joab.
12 Amasa låg kvar i en blodpöl mitt på vägen, och när officeren såg att alla som passerade stannade till för att titta på honom, släpade han honom åt sidan och in på en åker och kastade en mantel över honom.
13 När kroppen var ur vägen följde alla Joab i jakten på Seba.
14 Seba hade rest över hela Israel för att mobilisera folk, från staden Abel vid Bet Maaka och genom hela Habberim, och många följde med honom.
15 När Joabs trupper kom fram till Abel belägrade de staden och byggde en ramp upp mot stadsmuren.
16 Medan de försökte angripa muren ropade en vis kvinna i staden på Joab: Lyssna till mig, Joab! Kom hit fram, så att jag kan tala med dig!
17 När han närmade sig frågade kvinnan: Är du Joab? Ja, jag lyssnar!svarade han.
18 Då sa hon till honom: Det finns ett ordspråk som säger: 'Om du vill lösa en tvist, så be om råd från Abel'.
19 Du försöker förstöra en gammal fridsam stad, som är lojal mot Israel. Ska du verkligen förgöra det som tillhör Herren?
20 Men Joab svarade: Jag är inte här för att förstöra.
21 Allt jag vill ha är en man som heter Seba, från berglandskapet Efraim, för han har gjort uppror mot kung David. Om du överlämnar honom till mig, så ska vi lämna staden i fred.Kvinnan svarade: Vi ska kasta hans huvud till dig över muren.
22 Sedan gick kvinnan till folket med beskedet från Joab, och de halshögg Seba och kastade ner hans huvud till Joab. Då blåste han en trumpetsignal och drog tillbaka trupperna. Var och en gick sedan hem till sitt, och Joab återvände till kungen i Jerusalem.
23 Joab var befälhavare över armén och Benaja över kungens livvakt,
24 medan Adoram ansvarade för de arbeten som utfördes av slavar och krigsfångar. Josafat skötte kungens böcker,
25 Seja tjänstgjorde som sekreterare, Sadok och Ebjatar var präster
26 och jairiten Ira tjänstgjorde som Davids personlige präst.
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
2 Samuel 20
English Standard Version
2 Samuel 20
English Standard Version
The Rebellion of Sheba
20 Now there happened to be there (A)a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said,
(B)“We have no portion in David,
and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
(C)every man to his tents, O Israel!”
2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took (D)the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to (E)Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take (F)your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.”[a] 7 And there went out after him Joab's men and the (G)Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand (H)to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. (I)So Joab struck him with it (J)in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.
Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 And one of Joab's young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. 13 When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to (K)Abel of (L)Beth-maacah,[b] and all (M)the Bichrites[c] assembled and followed him in. 15 And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in (N)Abel of Beth-maacah. (O)They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” 17 And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at (P)Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. 19 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you (Q)swallow up (R)the heritage of the Lord?” 20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should (S)swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not true. But a man of (T)the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw 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 to all the people (U)in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, (V)every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 (W)Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and (X)Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was secretary; and (Y)Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and (Z)Ira the Jairite was also David's priest.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 20:6 Hebrew and snatch away our eyes
- 2 Samuel 20:14 Compare 20:15; Hebrew and Beth-maacah
- 2 Samuel 20:14 Hebrew Berites
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln) (SVL)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.