2 Samuel 20

1 Now, in that place, there happened to be an abandoned man, whose name, was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin, —so he blew a horn, and said—We have no share in David, Nor inheritance have we in the son of Jesse, Every man to his home, O Israel!

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Seba, the son of Bochri, a man of Jemini: and he sounded the trumpet, and said: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.

2 Then went up all the men of Israel from following David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, —but, the men of Judah, clave unto their king, from the Jordan, even as far as Jerusalem.

And all Israel departed from David, and followed Seba the son of Bochri: but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto Jerusalem.

3 And David entered into his own house, in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and sustained them, but, unto them, went he not in, —so they were shut up until the day of their death, in lifelong widowhood.

And when the king was come into his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.

4 Then said the king unto Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah, within three days, —and, thou, here, take thy stand!

And the king said to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda against the third day, and be thou here present.

5 So Amasa went, to assemble Judah, —but he tarried beyond the fixed time, which he had appointed him.

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the set time which the king had appointed him.

6 Then said David unto Abishai, Now, shall Sheba son of Bichri, do us more harm than Absolom, —thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue him, lest he have got him into fortified cities, and so have escaped our eye.

And David said to Abisai: Now will Seba the son of Bochri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou therefore the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he find fenced cities, and escape us.

7 Then went out after him—the men of Joab, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, —and they went out from Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

So Joab’s men went out with him, and the Cerethi and the Phelethi: and all the valiant men went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

8 When, they, were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa, had arrived before them. Now, Joab, was girded about with his war-coat as his upper garment, and, over it, a girdle with a sword, fastened upon his loins, in the sheath thereof, and, it, came out and fell.

And when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat of equal length with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scabbard, made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike.

9 Then said Joab unto Amasa, Art thou, well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amasa: God save thee, my brother. And he took Amasa by the chin with his right hand to kiss him.

10 Amasa not heeding the sword that was in the hand of Joab, he smote him therewith in the belly, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and [struck] him not again, and he died. So, Joab and Abishai his brother, pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and gave him not a second wound, and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.

11 Now, a man, stood over him, of the young men of Joab, —and said—Whosoever is well pleased with Joab, and whosoever pertaineth to David, let him follow Joab.

In the mean time some men of Joab’s company stopping at the dead body of Amasa, said: Behold he that would have been in Joab’s stead the companion of David.

12 But, Amasa, was wallowing in blood, in the midst of the highway, —and, when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa, out of the highway into the field, and cast over him a garment, as soon as he saw that every man that came up to him stood still.

And Amasa imbrued with blood, lay in the midst of the way. A certain man saw this that all the people stood still to look upon him, so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered him with a garment, that they who passed might not stop on his account.

13 When he had removed him out of the highway, every man passed on, after Joab, to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

And when he was removed out of the way, all the people went on following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

14 And he passed on throughout all the tribes of Israel, unto Abel and unto Beth-maachah, and all the Berites, —and they were called together, and came in, yea and followed him.

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and Bethmaacha: and all the chosen men were gathered together unto him.

15 So they came, and laid siege against him, in Abel, Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, so that it stood within a rampart, —and, all the people who were with Joab, were battering the wall to throw it down.

And they came, and besieged him in Abela, and in Bethmaacha, and they cast up works round the city, and the city was besieged: and all the people that were with Joab, laboured to throw down the walls.

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, —Hear ye! hear ye! I pray you, say unto Joab, Come near hither, and let me speak unto thee.

And a wise woman cried out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.

17 So he came near unto her, and the woman said, —Art thou Joab? And he said, —I am. And she said unto him, —Hear thou the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I do hear.

And when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy handmaid. He answered: I do hear.

18 Then spake she, saying, —They, used to speak, in former times, saying, Enquire, in Abel! And, so, they ended it.

And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.

19 I, am of the peaceable among the faithful in Israel, —thou, art seeking to put to death a city, and a mother in Israel, wherefore wouldst thou swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?

Am not I she that answer truth in Israel, and thou seekest to destroy the city, and to overthrow a mother in Israel? Why wilt thou throw down the inheritance of the Lord?

20 Then answered Joab and said, —Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.

And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.

21 Not so, is the matter! but, a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David, give up him alone, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Lo! his head, shall be cast unto thee, through the wall.

The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against king David: deliver him only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab: Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.

22 So the woman came unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it out unto Joab. And he blew with a horn, and they dispersed themselves from the city, every man to his home; but, Joab, returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

So she went to all the people, and spoke to them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba the son of Bochri, and cast it out to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they departed from the city, every one to their home: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 And, Joab, was [restored] unto all the army of Israel, —And, Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,

So Joab was over all the army of Israel: and Banaias the son of Joiada was over the Cerethites and Phelethites,

24 And, Adoniram, was over the tribute, —And, Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the remembrancer;

But Aduram over the tributes: and Josaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

25 And, Sheva, was scribe, —And, Zadok and Abiathar, were priests;

And Siva was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar, priests.

26 Moreover also, Ira the Jairite, was chief ruler unto David.

And Ira the Jairite was the priest of David.