1 A nd there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: “We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

¶ 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.

2 S o every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.

So 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.

3 N ow 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 seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

And 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.

4 A nd the king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”

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

5 S o Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah, but he tarried longer than the set time which 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, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us.”

And 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.

7 S o Joab’s men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

Then 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.

8 W hen they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out.

When 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.

9 T hen Joab said to Amasa, “ Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in peace, 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 that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

But 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.

11 M eanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!”

And 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.

12 B ut Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted.

And 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.

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

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

14 A nd he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba.

¶ 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.

15 T hen they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

And 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.

16 T hen a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’”

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

17 W hen he had come near to her, the woman said, “ Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am. ” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

And 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.

18 S o she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes.

Then 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.

19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord ?”

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?

20 A nd Joab answered and said, “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 so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will 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 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.

22 T hen the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem. David’s Government Officers

Then 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.

23 A nd Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

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

24 A doram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

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

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

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

26 a nd Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David.

and Ira, the Jairite, was David’s priest.