1 T here happened to be there a base and contemptible fellow named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He blew a trumpet and said, We have no portion in David and no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite; and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel.

2 S o all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but the men of Judah stayed faithfully with their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

Then all the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 S o David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them away under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 T hen said the king to Amasa, Assemble the men of Judah to me within three days, and you be present here.

And the king said to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and do thou attend here.

5 S o Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah, but he tarried longer than the set time which had been appointed him.

So Amasa went to call together Judah; but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 A nd David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba son of Bichri do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get for himself fenced cities and snatch away our very eyes.

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities and escape our sight.

7 A nd there went after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and Pelethites and all the mighty men; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 W hen they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a sheathed sword fastened around his hips; and as he went forward, it fell out.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his dress, and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 J oab said to Amasa, Are you well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

10 B ut Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand. So struck him with it in the body, shedding his bowels to the ground without another blow; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

And Amasa had taken no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him with it in the belly and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 A nd one of Joab’s men stood by him and said, Whoever favors Joab and is for David, follow Joab!

And one of Joab's young men stood by and said, He that favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.

12 A nd Amasa wallowed in his blood in the highway. And when the man saw that all the people who came by stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field and spread a cloth over him.

Now Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by stood still.

13 W hen Amasa was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri,

14 J oab went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Berites assembled and also went after ardently.

who went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maacah, and all the Berim; and they gathered together, and went also after him.

15 A nd they came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the men with Joab battered and undermined the wall to make it fall.

And they came and besieged him in Abel-Beth-Maacah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it was raised in the trench; and all the people that were with Joab sapped the wall, to throw it down.

16 T hen a wise woman of the city cried, Hear, hear! Say to Joab, Come here so I can speak to you.

And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

17 A nd when he came near her, the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I am listening.

And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening.

18 T hen she said, People used to say, Let them but ask counsel at Abel, and so they settled the matter.

And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended.

19 I am one of the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city which is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?

I am peaceable faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?

20 J oab answered, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!

And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 T hat is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.

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: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

22 T hen the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and cast it down to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his own home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 J oab was over the host of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

And Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

24 A doram was over the tribute; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;

and Adoram was over the levy; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

25 S heva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;

and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 A lso Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

and Ira also, the Jairite, was David's chief ruler.