CHAPTER 20
Now a worthless
man
named
Sheba
son
of Bichri,
a Benjamite,
happened
to be there,
and he blew
the ram’s horn
and shouted:
“We have no
share
in David,
no
inheritance
in Jesse’s
son.
Every man
to his tent,
O Israel!"
So all
the men
of Israel
deserted
David
to follow
Sheba
son
of Bichri.
But the men
of Judah
stayed by
their king
all the way
from the Jordan
to Jerusalem.
When David
returned
to
his palace
in Jerusalem,
he
took
the ten
concubines
he had left
to care for
the palace
and placed
them under guard.
He provided for them,
but he no longer
slept with
them.
They were
confined
until
the day
of their death,
living
as widows.
Then the king
said
to
Amasa,
“Summon
the men
of Judah
to come to me
within three
days,
and be here
yourself.”
And 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,
or
he will secure
fortified
cities
and elude
us."
So Joab’s
men,
along with the Cherethites,
the Pelethites,
and all
the mighty men,
marched out of
Jerusalem
in pursuit
of Sheba
son
of Bichri.
And while they
were at
the great
stone
in Gibeon,
Amasa
joined
them.
Now Joab
was dressed
in military attire,
and over
it was a belt
around
his waist
with a dagger
in its sheath.
As he
stepped forward,
the sword fell out.
“Are you
well,
my brother?”
Joab
asked
Amasa.
And with his right
hand
Joab
grabbed
Amasa
by the beard
to kiss
him.
Amasa
was not
on guard
against the dagger
in Joab’s
hand,
and Joab stabbed
him in
the stomach
and spilled out his intestines
on the ground.
And Joab did not need
to strike him again,
for Amasa was dead.
Then Joab
and his brother
Abishai
pursued
Sheba
son
of Bichri.
One
of Joab's
young men
stood
near Amasa
and said,
“Whoever
favors
Joab,
and whoever
is for David,
let him follow
Joab!”
But Amasa
wallowed
in his blood
in the middle
of the road,
and when the man
saw
that all
the troops
were stopping there,
he dragged
the body
off
the road
into a field
and threw
a garment
over it.
As soon as
Amasa's body was removed
from
the road,
all
the men
went on
with
Joab
to pursue
Sheba
son
of Bichri.
Sheba passed
through all
the tribes
of Israel
toward Abel-Beth-Maacah,
through the entire
region of the Berites,
who gathered together
and followed
him.
And Joab’s troops came
and besieged
Sheba
in Abel-Beth-Maacah
and built
a siege ramp
against the outer rampart
of the city.
As all
the troops
with
Joab
were battering
the wall
to topple it,
a wise
woman
called out
from
the city,
“Listen!
Listen!
Please
tell
Joab
to come
here
so that I may speak
with him.”
When he had come near
to her,
the woman
asked,
“Are you
Joab?”
“I am,”
he replied.
“Listen
to the words
of your servant,”
she said.
“I am
listening,”
he answered.
Then the woman said,
“Long ago
they used to say,
‘Seek counsel
at Abel,’
and that is how
disputes were settled.
I am
among the peaceable
and faithful
in Israel,
but you are
trying
to destroy
a city
that is a mother
in Israel.
Why
would you swallow up
the LORD’s
inheritance?”
That is
not
the case.
But
a man
named
Sheba
son
of Bichri,
from the hill country
of Ephraim,
has lifted
up his hand
against the king,
against David.
Deliver
him
alone,
and I will depart
from
the city."
"Look,"
the woman
replied,
"his head
will be thrown
to you
over
the wall."
Then the woman
went
to
all
the people
with her wise counsel,
and they cut off
the head
of Sheba
son
of Bichri
and threw
it to
Joab.
So he blew
the trumpet
and his men dispersed
from
the city,
each
to his own home.
And Joab
returned
to
the king
in Jerusalem.
Now Joab
was over
the whole
army
of Israel;
Benaiah
son
of Jehoiada
was over
the Cherethites
and
Pelethites;