1 N ow a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, “ We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

And there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, `We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.'

2 S o all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem.

3 T hen David came to his house at Jerusalem, and 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.

And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines -- whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living.

4 T hen the king said to Amasa, “Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”

And the king saith unto Amasa, `Call for me the men of Judah three days, and thou, stand here,'

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

and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him;

6 A nd David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.”

and David saith unto Abishai, `Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself our eye.'

7 S o Joab’s men went out after him, 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.

And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri;

8 W hen they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

they near the great stone that in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle -- a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.

9 J oab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa Murdered

And Joab saith to Amasa, `Art thou peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;

10 B ut Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so 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.

and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth, and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.

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

And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, `He who hath delight in Joab, and he who for David -- after Joab!'

12 B ut Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he 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. Revolt Put Down

And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him -- hath stood still.

13 A s soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.

14 N ow he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him.

And he passeth over through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and to all the Berites, and they are assembled, and go in also after him,

15 T hey came and besieged him in Abel Beth-maacah, and they 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 topple the wall.

and they go in and lay siege against him, in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and cast up a mount against the city, and it standeth in a trench, and all the people who are with Joab are destroying, to cause the wall to fall.

16 T hen a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’”

And a wise woman calleth out of the city, `Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.'

17 S o he approached 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.”

And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I.' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.'

18 T hen she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.

and she speaketh, saying, `They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.

19 I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord ?”

I of the peaceable -- faithful ones of Israel; thou art seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel; why dost thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?

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

And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.

21 S uch is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

The matter not so; for a man of the hill-country of Ephraim -- Sheba son of Bichri his name -- hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David; give ye up him by himself, and I go away from the city.' And the woman saith unto Joab, `Lo, his head is cast unto thee over the wall.'

22 T hen the woman wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.

And the woman cometh unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast unto Joab, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and they are scattered from the city, each to his tents, and Joab hath turned back to Jerusalem unto the king.

23 N ow Joab was over the whole army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

And Joab over all the host of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the Cherethite, and over the Pelethite,

24 a nd Adoram was over the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

and Adoram over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud the remembrancer,

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

and Sheva scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar priests,

26 a nd Ira the Jairite was also a priest to David.

and also, Ira the Jairite hath been minister to David.