2Sa 20 | ABEn | STEP | And [ 3 there 2 was encountered 1 a man], [ 2 son 1 a mischievous], and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he trumped the trumpet, and said, There is not to us a portion among David, nor an inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each man to his tents, O Israel.

2 Samuel 20

CHAPTER 20 Judah's Loyalty to David

1 And [³there ²was encountered ¹a man], [²son ¹a mischievous], and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he trumped the trumpet, and said, There is not to us a portion among David, nor an inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each man to his tents, O Israel. 2 And ascended every man of Israel from behind David to follow after Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah cleaved to their king from the Jordan and unto Jerusalem. 3 And David entered unto his house in Jerusalem, and [³took ¹the ²king] the ten women of his concubines, whom he left behind to guard the house; and he gave them for house guard, and he nourished them, but [³to ⁴them ¹he did not ²enter]. And they were held until the days of their death [²as widows ¹living]. 4 And [³said ¹the ²king] to Amasa, Call to me men of Judah in three days, but you [²here ¹stand]! 5 And Amasa went to summon Judah, and he passed time beyond the time which [²ordered ³him ¹David]. 6 And David said to Abishai, Now [⁴shall do us evil ¹Sheba ²son ³of Bichri] above Absalom. And now take with yourself the servants of your master, and pursue after him! so that he should not find for himself [²cities ¹fortified], and he should shadow our eyes. 7 And [⁴went forth ⁵after ⁶him ¹the ²men ³of Joab], and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty ones. And they went forth from Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri. 8 And they were by the [²stone ¹great] in Gibeon. And Amasa entered in front of them. And Joab being girded [²uniform ³garment ¹with his], and upon him [²being tied around ¹was a sword] being teamed up on his loin in its sheath. And the sword came forth and fell.

Joab kills Amasa

9 And Joab said to Amasa, Are you in health, my brother? And [⁵constrained ¹the ³hand ²right ⁴of Joab] the beard of Amasa to kiss him. 10 And Amasa did not guard from the sword, of the one in the hand of Joab. And [²hit ³him ⁴with ⁵it ¹Joab] in his flank, and [³poured out ²belly ¹his] upon the ground, and it was not repeated a second time to him, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba son of Bichri. 11 And a man stood by him, one of the servants of Joab. And he said, Who is the one wanting Joab, and who is the one wanting David? Be behind Joab. 12 And Amasa having died, and being befouled in the blood, was in the middle of the road. And [²beheld ¹a man] that [⁴stood ¹all ²the ³people]. And he returned Amasa from the road to the field, and cast upon him a cloak, for he beheld that every one coming stopped by him. 13 And it came to pass when he removed him from out of the road, [⁵went by ¹all ²the ³people ⁴of Israel] after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri. 14 And he went through among all the tribes of Israel, to Abel and Beth-maacah. And they were assembled, and they came after him. 15 And they came and assaulted against him in Abel and Beth-maacah. And they cast a seige mound against the city, and it stood in the area around the wall. And all the people with Joab purposed to throw down the wall. 16 And [³yelled out ²woman ¹a wise] from the city, and said, Hearken indeed! hearken! Say indeed to Joab, Approach unto here! and I will speak to him. 17 And he drew near to her. And [³said ¹the ²woman], Are you Joab? And he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of your maidservant! And he said, [³listening ¹I ²am]. 18 And she said, saying, [²a word ¹They spoke] at first, saying, By asking they shall ask in Abel; and thus they ceased. 19 I am peaceable of ones supporting Israel. But you seek to kill a city, even a mother-city in Israel. Why do you swallow down the inheritance of the lord? 20 And Joab answered and said, May it not be to me to swallow it, and shall I utterly destroy it?

Sheba's Head Delivered Up

21 [³is not ⁴so ¹The ²word]. For a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri is his name, lifted up his hand against king David. Give him to me only, and I shall go forth from the city. And [³said ¹the ²woman] to Joab, Behold, [²his head ¹I will toss] to you over the wall. 22 And [³went in ¹the ²woman] to all the people, and she spoke to all the city in her wisdom. And they removed the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and they tossed it to Joab. And he trumped with the horn, and they scattered from the city, each man to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. 23 And Joab was over all the force of Israel. And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites. 24 And Adoram was over the tribute. And Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recording. 25 And Sheva was scribe, And Zadok and Abiathar were priests. 26 And indeed Ira the Jarite was priest to David.