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!”

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 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.

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. 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.

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 the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and you be 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 took longer than the time which had been given him.

and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had 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 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. With them went the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the strong men. They left Jerusalem to go after 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 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.

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 he took Amasa by the hair of his face with his right hand to kiss him.

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 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.

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 one of Joab’s young men stood by him 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 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 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 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 he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after 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.

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 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 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, “Listen! I beg you, tell Joab to come here that I may speak with him.”

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

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

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 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 answered, “Far be it from me! Far be it 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 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.”

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 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.

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 the captain of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was captain of 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 doram was captain of those who were made to work. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the things that happened.

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

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

and Sheva scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar priests,

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

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