2 Samuel 20
The Voice
20 A worthless troublemaker, Sheba the Benjaminite, the son of Bichri, blasted a trumpet and silenced everyone.
Sheba: We don’t have any share in David, no interest in the son of Jesse! Israel, let’s go back to our tents and show loyalty to only our own tribes!
2 So the people of Israel stopped following David and followed Sheba, son of Bichri; but the people of Judah faithfully accompanied David back from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 David came back to his palace at Jerusalem, and he took the 10 members of his harem he had left behind to look after things—the concubines whom Absalom had used sexually—and put them away in a house, under guard. He took care of them, but he never slept with them again as long as they lived. They lived shut away as if they were widows.
David (to Amasa): 4 Go and tell the men of Judah they have three days to get here, and you come with them.
5 So Amasa went out to call Judah together, but he was delayed beyond his deadline.
David (to Abishai): 6 Sheba, Bichri’s son, will do more damage to us than Absalom if he’s left untouched. Take my men and pursue him. If we’re not careful, he’ll escape into a fortified city and continue to cause trouble.
7 So Joab took his troops with the mercenary corps of Cherethites and Pelethites, and all these warriors went from Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba, Bichri’s son. 8 When they reached the great boulder at Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was dressed for battle, with his sword strapped on at the waist; and as he went forward to meet Amasa, Joab’s sword slipped out of its sheath.
Joab: 9 How are you, my brother?
With his right hand, Joab held Amasa’s face to kiss him, 10 but Amasa did not see the sword in Joab’s left hand. With one motion, Joab ripped open Amasa’s belly; his intestines spilled onto the ground, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went off in pursuit of Sheba, Bichri’s son. 11 One of Joab’s men stood by Amasa’s body and shouted,
Joab’s Soldier: If you’re for Joab and David, then follow Joab!
12 Amasa lay agonizing in his blood on the highway, and the soldier saw that everyone was stopping to look. He dragged Amasa off the road into a field and threw a coat over him. 13 Once that distraction was removed, all the soldiers followed Joab to find Sheba, son of Bichri.
14 Sheba marched across all the tribal lands of Israel until he came to Abel in Beth-maacah; and all his kinsmen, the Berites, gathered and followed him inside the fortified city. 15 When Joab’s army arrived, they put Abel Beth-maacah under siege. They built an earthen rampart up onto the wall, while others with Joab tried to break the wall down. 16 Then a wise woman called out from the city.
Woman: Listen to me! Tell Joab that I want to talk to him!
17 Joab came close enough to hear her.
Woman: Are you Joab?
Joab: Yes, I am.
Woman: I, your servant, have something to tell you.
Joab: All right. I am listening.
Woman: 18 In the old days, people used to say, “Let’s ask for guidance at Abel,” and there they would resolve their differences. 19 I am one of the many in Israel who are faithful and peaceful. Why would you destroy a city that has been a mother to Israel? Why would you knock down what the Eternal One has built?
Joab: 20 I’m certainly not here to destroy the city. 21 That’s the last thing I want to do! But we are pursuing a man from the hill country of Ephraim: Sheba, Bichri’s son, who has raised up a rebellion against David the king. If you will hand him over to us, then we will lift the siege and go home.
Woman: Then stay alert—we’ll throw his head over the wall to you.
22 The wise woman talked to all the people about her plan to save the city. They cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall for Joab. Then Joab blew the trumpet to halt his attack. The troops went to their homes, and Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.
23 With Amasa dead, Joab again commanded all the army of Israel. Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, commanded the mercenary companies of Cherethites and Pelethites. 24 Adoram commanded all the forced laborers. Jehoshaphat, Ahilud’s son, was the recorder, 25 and Sheva was the royal secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
2 Samuel 20
Louis Segond
20 Il se trouvait là un méchant homme, nommé Schéba, fils de Bicri, Benjamite. Il sonna de la trompette, et dit: Point de part pour nous avec David, point d'héritage pour nous avec le fils d'Isaï! Chacun à sa tente, Israël!
2 Et tous les hommes d'Israël s'éloignèrent de David, et suivirent Schéba, fils de Bicri. Mais les hommes de Juda restèrent fidèles à leur roi, et l'accompagnèrent depuis le Jourdain jusqu'à Jérusalem.
3 David rentra dans sa maison à Jérusalem. Le roi prit les dix concubines qu'il avait laissées pour garder la maison, et il les mit dans un lieu où elles étaient séquestrées; il pourvut à leur entretien, mais il n'alla point vers elles. Et elles furent enfermées jusqu'au jour de leur mort, vivant dans un état de veuvage.
4 Le roi dit à Amasa: Convoque-moi d'ici à trois jours les hommes de Juda; et toi, sois ici présent.
5 Amasa partit pour convoquer Juda; mais il tarda au delà du temps que le roi avait fixé.
6 David dit alors à Abischaï: Schéba, fils de Bicri, va maintenant nous faire plus de mal qu'Absalom. Prends toi-même les serviteurs de ton maître et poursuis-le, de peur qu'il ne trouve des villes fortes et ne se dérobe à nos yeux.
7 Et Abischaï partit, suivi des gens de Joab, des Kéréthiens et des Péléthiens, et de tous les vaillants hommes; ils sortirent de Jérusalem, afin de poursuivre Schéba, fils de Bicri.
8 Lorsqu'ils furent près de la grande pierre qui est à Gabaon, Amasa arriva devant eux. Joab était ceint d'une épée par-dessus les habits dont il était revêtu; elle était attachée à ses reins dans le fourreau, d'où elle glissa, comme Joab s'avançait.
9 Joab dit à Amasa: Te portes-tu bien, mon frère? Et de la main droite il saisit la barbe d'Amasa pour le baiser.
10 Amasa ne prit point garde à l'épée qui était dans la main de Joab; et Joab l'en frappa au ventre et répandit ses entrailles à terre, sans lui porter un second coup. Et Amasa mourut. Joab et son frère Abischaï marchèrent à la poursuite de Schéba, fils de Bicri.
11 Un homme d'entre les gens de Joab resta près d'Amasa, et il disait: Qui veut de Joab et qui est pour David? Qu'il suive Joab!
12 Amasa se roulait dans le sang au milieu de la route; et cet homme, ayant vu que tout le peuple s'arrêtait, poussa Amasa hors de la route dans un champ, et jeta sur lui un vêtement, lorsqu'il vit que tous ceux qui arrivaient près de lui s'arrêtaient.
13 Quand il fut ôté de la route, chacun suivit Joab, afin de poursuivre Schéba, fils de Bicri.
14 Joab traversa toutes les tribus d'Israël dans la direction d'Abel Beth Maaca, et tous les hommes d'élite se rassemblèrent et le suivirent.
15 Ils vinrent assiéger Schéba dans Abel Beth Maaca, et ils élevèrent contre la ville une terrasse qui atteignait le rempart. Tout le peuple qui était avec Joab sapait la muraille pour la faire tomber.
16 Alors une femme habile se mit à crier de la ville: Écoutez, écoutez! Dites, je vous prie, à Joab: Approche jusqu'ici, je veux te parler!
17 Il s'approcha d'elle, et la femme dit: Es-tu Joab? Il répondit: Je le suis. Et elle lui dit: Écoute les paroles de ta servante. Il répondit: J'écoute.
18 Et elle dit: Autrefois on avait coutume de dire: Que l'on consulte Abel! Et tout se terminait ainsi.
19 Je suis une des villes paisibles et fidèles en Israël; et tu cherches à faire périr une ville qui est une mère en Israël! Pourquoi détruirais-tu l'héritage de l'Éternel?
20 Joab répondit: Loin, loin de moi la pensée de détruire et de ruiner!
21 La chose n'est pas ainsi. Mais un homme de la montagne d'Éphraïm, nommé Schéba, fils de Bicri, a levé la main contre le roi David; livrez-le, lui seul, et je m'éloignerai de la ville. La femme dit à Joab: Voici, sa tête te sera jetée par la muraille.
22 Et la femme alla vers tout le peuple avec sa sagesse; et ils coupèrent la tête à Schéba, fils de Bicri, et la jetèrent à Joab. Joab sonna de la trompette; on se dispersa loin de la ville, et chacun s'en alla dans sa tente. Et Joab retourna à Jérusalem, vers le roi.
23 Joab commandait toute l'armée d'Israël; Benaja, fils de Jehojada, était à la tête des Kéréthiens et des Péléthiens;
24 Adoram était préposé aux impôts; Josaphat, fils d'Achilud, était archiviste;
25 Scheja était secrétaire; Tsadok et Abiathar étaient sacrificateurs;
26 et Ira de Jaïr était ministre d'état de David.
2 Samuel 20
Legacy Standard Bible
Sheba Goes Up Against David
20 Now (A)a vile fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of (B)Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said,
“(C)We have no portion in David,
Nor do we have inheritance in (D)the son of Jesse;
(E)Every man to his tents, O Israel!”
2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and (F)the 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.
4 Then the king said to (G)Amasa, “Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and you yourself stand here.” 5 So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he (H)delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 And David said to (I)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; (J)take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and deliver himself from our sight.” 7 So Joab’s men pursued him, (K)along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 They were at the large stone which is in (L)Gibeon, and Amasa came [a]to meet them. Now Joab was [b]dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his [c]waist; and as he came out, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And (M)Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
Joab Strikes Amasa
10 But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so (N)he 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. 11 Now there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, “Whoever delights in Joab and whoever is for David, (O)let him follow Joab.” 12 But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood still. So he [d]removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
The Beheading of Sheba
13 As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were assembled and also came after him. 15 So they came and besieged him in (P)Abel Beth-maacah, and (Q)they [e]cast 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 cause the wall to fall. 16 Then (R)a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Draw near that I may speak with you.’” 17 So he drew near to 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.” 18 Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to speak in this way, saying, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute. 19 I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. (S)You are seeking to put to death a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up (T)the inheritance of Yahweh?” 20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 Such is not the case. But a man from (U)the hill country of Ephraim, (V)Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give him over alone, and I will go from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman came to all the people in her (W)wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So (X)he blew the trumpet, and they were scattered from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.
23 (Y)Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was over the forced labor, and (Z)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and (AA)Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also a priest to David.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 20:8 Lit before
- 2 Samuel 20:8 Lit girded with military garment as clothing
- 2 Samuel 20:8 Lit loins
- 2 Samuel 20:12 Lit caused to turn
- 2 Samuel 20:15 Lit poured out
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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