صَمُوئِيلَ ٱلثَّانِي 20

١ 1 وَٱتَّفَقَ هُنَاكَ رَجُلٌ لَئِيمٌ ٱسْمُهُ شَبَعُ بْنُ بِكْرِي رَجُلٌ بَنْيَامِينِيٌّ، فَضَرَبَ بِٱلْبُوقِ وَقَالَ: «لَيْسَ لَنَا قِسْمٌ فِي دَاوُدَ وَلَا لَنَا نَصِيبٌ فِي ٱبْنِ يَسَّى. كُلُّ رَجُلٍ إِلَى خَيْمَتِهِ يَاإِسْرَائِيلُ».

A rabble-rouser called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the tribe of Benjamin, happened to be there. He blew the ram's horn and shouted: “We have no interest in David, no commitment to Jesse's son. Israelites, let's all go home!”

٢ 2 فَصَعِدَ كُلُّ رِجَالِ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ دَاوُدَ إِلَى وَرَاءِ شَبَعَ بْنِ بِكْرِي. وَأَمَّا رِجَالُ يَهُوذَا فَلَازَمُوا مَلِكَهُمْ مِنَ ٱلْأُرْدُنِّ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ.

So all the men of Israel abandoned David to follow Sheba, son of Bichri. But the men of Judah accompanied their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

٣ 3 وَجَاءَ دَاوُدُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ. وَأَخَذَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلنِّسَاءَ ٱلسَّرَارِيَّ ٱلْعَشَرَ ٱللَّوَاتِي تَرَكَهُنَّ لِحِفْظِ ٱلْبَيْتِ، وَجَعَلَهُنَّ تَحْتَ حَجْزٍ، وَكَانَ يَعُولُهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ إِلَيْهِنَّ، بَلْ كُنَّ مَحبُوسَاتٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ مَوْتِهِنَّ فِي عِيشَةِ ٱلْعُزُوبَةِ.

When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and put them in a house under guard. He took care of their needs but he didn't sleep with them. They were imprisoned until they died, living like widows.

٤ 4 وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ لِعَمَاسَا: «ٱجْمَعْ لِي رِجَالَ يَهُوذَا فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَٱحْضُرْ أَنْتَ هُنَا».

Then the king ordered Amasa, “Call up the army of Judah. Have them come to me within three days, and you come too.”

٥ 5 فَذَهَبَ عَمَاسَا لِيَجْمَعَ يَهُوذَا، وَلَكِنَّهُ تأَخَّرَ عَنِ ٱلْمِيقَاتِ ٱلَّذِي عَيَّنَهُ.

Amasa called up the army of Judah, but he took longer than the time he was given.

٦ 6 فَقَالَ دَاوُدُ لِأَبِيشَايَ: «ٱلْآنَ يُسِيءُ إِلَيْنَا شَبَعُ بْنُ بِكْرِي أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَبْشَالُومَ. فَخُذْ أَنْتَ عَبِيدَ سَيِّدِكَ وَٱتْبَعْهُ لِئَلَّا يَجِدَ لِنَفْسِهِ مُدُنًا حَصِينَةً وَيَنْفَلِتَ مِنْ أَمَامِ أَعْيُنِنَا».

David then spoke to Abishai, saying, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri is going to cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take the king's men and chase him down, or he will take over fortified towns and get away from us.”

٧ 7 فَخَرَجَ وَرَاءَهُ رِجَالُ يُوآبَ: ٱلْجَلَّادُونَ وَٱلسُّعَاةُ وَجَمِيعُ ٱلْأَبْطَالِ، وَخَرَجُوا مِن أُورُشَلِيمَ لِيَتْبَعُوا شَبَعَ بْنَ بِكْرِي.

So Joab's men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the experienced fighters, marched out of Jerusalem to chase down Sheba, son of Bichri.

٨ 8 وَلَمَّا كَانُوا عِنْدَ ٱلصَّخْرَةِ ٱلْعَظِيمَةِ ٱلَّتِي فِي جِبْعُونَ، جَاءَ عَمَاسَا قُدَّامَهُمْ. وَكَانَ يُوآبُ مُتَنَطِّقًا عَلَى ثَوْبِهِ ٱلَّذِي كَانَ لَابِسَهُ، وَفَوْقَهُ مِنْطَقَةُ سَيْفٍ فِي غِمْدِهِ مَشْدُودَةٌ عَلَى حَقَوَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ ٱنْدَلَقَ ٱلسَّيْفُ.

While they were at the large rock in Gibeon, Amasa caught up with them. Joab was dressed for battle. Over his clothes was a belt around his waist with a dagger in its sheath. As he moved forward, it fell out.

٩ 9 فَقَالَ يُوآبُ لِعَمَاسَا: «أَسَالِمٌ أَنْتَ يَا أَخِي؟» وَأَمْسَكَتْ يَدُ يُوآبَ ٱلْيُمْنَى بِلِحْيَةِ عَمَاسَا لِيُقَبِّلَهُ.

“How are you doing, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. Joab held Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

١٠ 10 وَأَمَّا عَمَاسَا فَلَمْ يَحْتَرِزْ مِنَ ٱلسَّيْفِ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِ يُوآبَ، فَضَرَبَهُ بِهِ فِي بَطْنِهِ فَدَلَقَ أَمْعَاءَهُ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يُثَنِّ عَلَيْهِ، فَمَاتَ. وَأَمَّا يُوآبُ وَأَبِيشَايُ أَخُوهُ فَتَبِعَا شَبَعَ بْنَ بِكْرِي.

Amasa wasn't prepared for the dagger in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed him in the belly and his intestines poured out onto the ground. Joab didn't need to stab him twice, because Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai set off in pursuit of Sheba.

١١ 11 وَوَقَفَ عِنْدَهُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ غِلْمَانِ يُوآبَ، فَقَالَ: «مَنْ سُرَّ بِيُوآبَ، وَمَنْ هُوَ لِدَاوُدَ، فَوَرَاءَ يُوآبَ».

One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and called out, “If you're on Joab's side, and if you are on David's side, then follow Joab!”

١٢ 12 وَكَانَ عَمَاسَا يَتَمَرَّغُ فِي ٱلدَّمِ فِي وَسَطِ ٱلسِّكَّةِ. وَلَمَّا رَأَى ٱلرَّجُلُ أَنَّ كُلَّ ٱلشَّعْبِ يَقِفُونَ، نَقَلَ عَمَاسَا مِنَ ٱلسِّكَّةِ إِلَى ٱلْحَقْلِ وَطَرَحَ عَلَيْهِ ثَوْبًا، لَمَّا رَأَى أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ يَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ يَقِفُ.

But Amasa was there, lying in his blood in the middle of the main road. When the man saw that everybody was stopping to look, he pulled the body off the road into a field and threw a cloth over it.

١٣ 13 فَلَمَّا نُقِلَ عَنِ ٱلسِّكَّةِ عَبَرَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ وَرَاءَ يُوآبَ لِٱتِّبَاعِ شَبَعَ بْنِ بِكْرِي.

Once Amasa's body was off the road, all the men followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba.

١٤ 14 وَعَبَرَ فِي جَمِيعِ أَسْبَاطِ إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى آبَلَ وَبَيْتِ مَعْكَةَ وَجَمِيعِ ٱلْبِيرِيِّينَ، فَٱجْتَمَعُوا وَخَرَجُوا أَيْضًا وَرَاءَهُ.

In the meantime Sheba had gone around all the tribes of Israel and eventually ended up the town of Abel-beth-maacah. All the Bichrites gathered for battle and followed him into the town.

١٥ 15 وَجَاءُوا وَحَاصَرُوهُ فِي آبَلِ بَيْتِ مَعْكَةَ، وَأَقَامُوا مِتْرَسَةً حَوْلَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَأَقَامَتْ فِي ٱلْحِصَارِ، وَجَمِيعُ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَ يُوآبَ كَانُوا يُخْرِبُونَ لِأَجْلِ إِسْقَاطِ ٱلسُّورِ.

Joab's army came and besieged Sheba in Abel-Beth-Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the town's outer wall. While all of Joab's army was battering the wall to knock it down,

١٦ 16 فَنَادَتِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ حَكِيمَةٌ مِنَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ: «اِسْمَعُوا. اِسْمَعُوا. قُولُوا لِيُوآبَ تَقَدَّمْ إِلَى هَهُنَا فَأُكَلِّمَكَ».

a wise woman from the town called out, “Listen! Please listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come over here so I can speak to you.’”

١٧ 17 فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهَا، فَقَالَتِ ٱلْمَرْأَةُ: «أَأَنْتَ يُوآبُ؟» فَقَالَ: «أَنَا هُوَ». فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: «ٱسْمَعْ كَلَامَ أَمَتِكَ». فَقَالَ: «أَنَا سَامِعٌ».

He went over to her, and the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “Yes, that's me,” he replied. “Please listen to what I, your servant, have to say,” she said. “I'm listening,” he replied.

١٨ 18 فَتَكَلَّمَتْ قَائِلَةً: «كَانُوا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ أَوَّلًا قَائِلِينَ: سُؤَالًا يَسْأَلُونَ فِي آبَلَ. وَهَكَذَا كَانُوا ٱنْتَهَوْا.

Then the woman said, “In times gone by people used to say, ‘If you want advice, go to Abel,’ and that's how arguments were settled.

١٩ 19 أَنَا مُسَالِمَةٌ أَمِينَةٌ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ. أَنْتَ طَالِبٌ أَنْ تُمِيتَ مَدِينَةً وَأُمًّا فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ. لِمَاذَا تَبْلَعُ نَصِيبَ ٱلرَّبِّ؟»

I am one of the peaceful and faithful people of Israel. You're trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel. Why do you want to tear down the Lord's possession?”

٢٠ 20 فَأَجَابَ يُوآبُ وَقَالَ: «حَاشَايَ! حَاشَايَ أَنْ أَبْلَعَ وَأَنْ أُهْلِكَ.

“Certainly not!” Joab answered. “It's not what I want—to destroy or tear down this town!

٢١ 21 ٱلْأَمْرُ لَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ. لِأَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ ٱسْمُهُ شَبَعُ بْنُ بِكْرِي رَفَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى ٱلْمَلِكِ دَاوُدَ. سَلِّمُوهُ وَحْدَهُ فَأَنْصَرِفَ عَنِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ». فَقَالَتِ ٱلْمَرْأَةُ لِيُوآبَ: «هُوَذَا رَأْسُهُ يُلْقَى إِلَيْكَ عَنِ ٱلسُّورِ».

That's not the intention. But a man called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has rebelled against the king, against David. Just hand over this one man and I will withdraw from the town.” “Fine,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown over the wall to you.”

٢٢ 22 فَأَتَتِ ٱلْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى جَمِيعِ ٱلشَّعْبِ بِحِكْمَتِهَا فَقَطَعُوا رَأْسَ شَبَعَ بْنِ بِكْرِي وَأَلْقَوْهُ إِلَى يُوآبَ، فَضَرَبَ بِٱلْبُوقِ فَٱنْصَرَفُوا عَنِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ إِلَى خَيْمَتِهِ. وَأَمَّا يُوآبُ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلِكِ.

The woman went and talked with everyone about her wise plan. So they cut off the head of Sheba and threw it to Joab. Then Joab blew the ram's horn to sound the retreat, and all his men left the town and went home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

٢٣ 23 وَكَانَ يُوآبُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ جَيْشِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَبَنَايَا بْنُ يَهُويَادَاعَ عَلَى ٱلْجَلَّادِينَ وَٱلسُّعَاةِ،

Joab commanded the whole army of Israel. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.

٢٤ 24 وَأَدُورَامُ عَلَى ٱلْجِزْيَةِ، وَيَهُوشَافَاطُ بْنُ أَخِيلُودَ مُسَجِّلًا،

Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, kept the official records.

٢٥ 25 وَشِيوَا كَاتِبًا، وَصَادُوقُ وَأَبِيَاثَارُ كَاهِنَيْنِ،

Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,

٢٦ 26 وَعِيْرَا ٱلْيَائِيرِيُّ أَيْضًا كَانَ كَاهِنًا لِدَاوُدَ.

and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.