1 ¶ And a man of Belial happened to be there, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Jemini, and he blew the shofar, saying, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel.

A man of no worth happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He sounded the horn and said, “We have no share in David! We have no share in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 S o all the men of Israel went up from after David and followed Sheba, the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah cleaved unto their king from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

So all the men of Israel stopped following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah were not moved from following their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 A nd when David came to his house at Jerusalem, the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward and fed them, but did not go in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

Then David came to his house at Jerusalem. The king took his ten women whom he had left to take care of the house, and had a prison soldier watch them. David gave them food, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as women whose husbands had died.

4 ¶ Then the king said to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah for the third day, and be thou here present.

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

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

So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah. But he took longer than the time which had been given him.

6 A nd David said to Abishai, Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, shall do us more harm than Absalom; take thou thy lord’s slaves and pursue after him lest he find fenced cities and escape us.

David said to Abishai, “Now Bichri’s son Sheba will bring us more trouble than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and go after him. Or he might find strong cities for himself, and get away from us.”

7 T hen 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 after Sheba, the son of Bichri.

So Joab’s men went out after him. With them went the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the strong men. They left Jerusalem to go after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 W hen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came out and met them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath, and as he went forth, it fell out.

Amasa came to meet them at the large stone in Gibeon. Now Joab was dressed in soldier’s clothing. Over his clothing was a belt with a sword in its holder tied at his side. As he walked, the sword fell out.

9 A nd Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in peace, 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?” And he took Amasa by the hair of his face with his right hand to kiss him.

10 B ut Amasa took no heed of the sword that was in Joab’s hand; and he smote him with it in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai, his brother, pursued after Sheba, the son of Bichri.

But Amasa did not see the sword which was in Joab’s hand. So Joab hit him in the stomach with it, and poured his inside parts out on the ground. He did not hit him again, and Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 A nd one of Joab’s servants stood by him, and said, He that favours Joab and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.”

12 A nd Amasa had wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field and cast a garment upon him because he saw that every one that came by him stopped.

But Amasa lay in his blood in the center of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he took Amasa out of the road and into the field. And he threw a covering over him.

13 W hen he was removed out of the highway, all the people that followed Joab passed on, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

After he was taken out of the road, all the men went on and followed Joab to go after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 ¶ And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel and to Bethmaachah and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him.

Sheba passed through all the families of Israel to Abel Bethmaacah. Then all the Berites gathered together and followed him into the city.

15 A nd they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and the people went against the wall; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

And all the men who were with Joab came and gathered their armies around him in Abel Bethmaacah. They built up a hill of dirt against the wall of the city. And they were trying their best to make the wall fall down.

16 T hen a wise woman cried out in the city, Hear, hear, I pray you, tell Joab to come here, that I may speak with him.

Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! I beg you, tell Joab to come here that I may speak with him.”

17 A nd when he had come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I hear.

So he came to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your woman servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 T hen she spoke, saying, They used to speak in old times, saying, If you have a question ask it at Abel; and so they concluded the matter.

Then she said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Let them ask for words of wisdom at Abel.’ And so they would stop fighting.

19 I am one of those that are peaceable and faithful in Israel, and thou seekest to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

I am one of peace and faith in Israel. You want to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the gift of the Lord?”

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

Joab answered, “Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy!

21 T he matter is not so, but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against King David; give only him over, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim has turned against King David. His name is Sheba the son of Bichri. Give up only him, and I will leave the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “See, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 T hen the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew the shofar, and they retired from the city, each one to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

Then the woman went to all the people with her plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the horn and they left the city, every man going to his home. Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

23 ¶ So Joab remained over all the host of Israel, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

Now Joab was the captain of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was captain of the Cherethites and the Pelethites.

24 a nd Adoram was over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was writer of the chronicles,

Adoram was captain of those who were made to work. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the things that happened.

25 a nd Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;

Sheva was the teacher. Zadok and Abiathar were religious leaders.

26 a nd Ira, the Jairite, was David’s priest.

And Ira the Jairite was a religious leader to David also.