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!

There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the 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.

So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with 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.

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 in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to 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.

Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”

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 the men of Judah together; but he stayed 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.

David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of 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.

Joab’s men went out after him, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue 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 to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along 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.

Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his 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.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued 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!

One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who 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.

Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him 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 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.

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were 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.

They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered 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.

Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”

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.

He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.”

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

Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;’ and so they settled a matter.

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 among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?”

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

Joab answered, “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 the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you 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. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then 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;

Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, 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;

Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,

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

Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests,

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

and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.