-
And there
happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name
was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he
blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in
David, neither have we inheritance in the son of
Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
02 So every man of Israel went up from after
David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but
the men of Judah clave unto their king, from
Jordan even to Jerusalem.
03 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and
the king took the ten women his concubines, whom
he had left to keep the house, and put them in
ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So
they were shut up unto the day of their death,
living in widowhood.
04 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the
men of Judah within three days, and be thou here
present.
05 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah:
but he tarried longer than the set time which he
had appointed him.
06 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the
son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom:
take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after
him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape
us.
07 And 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 Bichri.
08 When they were at the great stone which is in
Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's
garment that he had put on was girded unto him,
and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon
his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went
forth it fell out.
09 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my
brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with
the right hand to kiss him.
10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was
in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the
fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground,
and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab
and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the
son of Bichri.
11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said,
He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David,
let him go after Joab.
12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of
the highway. And when the man saw that all the
people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the
highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon
him, when he saw that every one that came by him
stood still.
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13 When he was removed out of the highway, all
the people went on after Joab, to pursue after
Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel
unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the
Berites: and they were gathered together, and
went also after him.
15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of
Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the
city, and it stood in the trench: and all the
people that were with Joab battered the wall, to
throw it down.
16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear,
hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near
hither, that I may speak with thee.
17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman
said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he.
Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine
handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to
speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask
counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
19 I am one of them that are peaceable and
faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a
city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou
swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?
20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be
it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount
Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath
lifted up his hand against the king, even against
David: deliver him only, and I will depart from
the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold,
his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her
wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the
son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he
blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city,
every man to his tent. And Joab returned to
Jerusalem unto the king.
23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the
Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:
25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar
were the priests:
26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler
about David.
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