1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:1
2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bikri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:2
3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his secondary wives, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:3
4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:4
5 So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:5
6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Now then, take your lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:6
7 There went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:7
8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:8
9 Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:9
10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikri. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:10
11 There stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, "He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:11
12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:12
13 When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:13
14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Bikrites; and they assembled and followed him. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:14
15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer wall; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to bring it down. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:15
16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear. Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'" NHEB — 2Samuel 20:16
17 He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:17
18 Then she spoke, saying, "They used to say a saying, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether NHEB — 2Samuel 20:18
19 that which the faithful of Israel established has been carried out.’ You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?" NHEB — 2Samuel 20:19
20 Joab answered, "Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:20
21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall." NHEB — 2Samuel 20:21
22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:22
23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; NHEB — 2Samuel 20:23
24 and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; NHEB — 2Samuel 20:24
25 and Shisha was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; NHEB — 2Samuel 20:25
26 and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David. NHEB — 2Samuel 20:26