1 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!”

There 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!

2 S o 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.

So 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.

3 T hen 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.

So 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.

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

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

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

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

6 D avid 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.”

And 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.

7 S o 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.

And 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.

8 A masa 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.

When 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.

9 J oab 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.

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

10 B ut 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.

But 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.

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

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

12 B ut 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.

And 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.

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

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

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

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

15 A nd 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.

And 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.

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

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

17 S o 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.”

And 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.

18 T hen she said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Let them ask for words of wisdom at Abel.’ And so they would stop fighting.

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

19 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?”

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?

20 J oab answered, “Far be it from me! Far be it 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 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.”

That 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.

22 T hen 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.

Then 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.

23 N ow Joab was the captain of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was captain of the Cherethites and the Pelethites.

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

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

Adoram was over the tribute; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;

25 S heva was the teacher. Zadok and Abiathar were religious leaders.

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

26 A nd Ira the Jairite was a religious leader to David also.

Also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.