Dual Panel1Now a worthless<1100> fellow<376> happened<7122> to be there<8033> whose name<8034> was Sheba<7652>, the son<1121> of Bichri<1075>, a Benjamite<376><3228>; and he blew<8628> the trumpet<7782> and said<559>, "We have<369> no<369> portion<2506> in David<1732>, Nor<3808> do we have inheritance<5159> in the son<1121> of Jesse<3448>; Every<376> man<376> to his tents<168>, O Israel<3478>!"
2So all<3605> the men<376> of Israel<3478> withdrew<5927> from following<310> David<1732> and followed<310> Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075>; but the men<376> of Judah<3063> remained<1692> steadfast<1692> to their king<4428>, from the Jordan<3383> even to Jerusalem<3389>.
3Then David<1732> came<935> to his house<1004> at Jerusalem<3389>, and the king<4428> took<3947> the ten<6235> women<802>, the concubines<6370> whom<834> he had left<5117> to keep<8104> the house<1004>, and placed<5414> them under guard<1004><4931> and provided<3557> them with sustenance<3557>, but did not go<935> in to them. So they were shut<6887> up until<5704> the day<3117> of their death<4191>, living<2424> as widows<491>.
4Then the king<4428> said<559> to Amasa<6021>, "Call<2199> out the men<376> of Judah<3063> for me within three<7969> days<3117>, and be present<5975> here<6311> yourself<859>."
5So Amasa<6021> went<1980> to call<2199> out the men of Judah<3063>, but he delayed<309> longer than<4480> the set<4150> time<4150> which<834> he had appointed<3259> him.
6And David<1732> said<559> to Abishai<52>, "Now<6258> Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075> will do<7489> us more<4480> harm<7489> than<4480> Absalom<53>; take<3947> your lord's<113> servants<5650> and pursue<7291> him, so<6435> that he does not find<4672> for himself fortified<1219> cities<5892> and escape<5337> from our sight<5869>."
7So Joab's<3097> men<376> went<3318> out after<310> him, along with the Cherethites<3774> and the Pelethites<6432> and all<3605> the mighty<1368> men<1368>; and they went<3318> out from Jerusalem<3389> to pursue<7291> Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075>.
8When they were at the large<1419> stone<68> which<834> is in Gibeon<1391>, Amasa<6021> came<935> to meet<6440> them. Now Joab<3097> was dressed<2296><3830> in his military attire<3830><4055>, and over<5921> it was a belt<2290> with a sword<2719> in its sheath<8593> fastened<6775> at his waist<4975>; and as he went<3318> forward<3318>, it fell<5307> out.
9Joab<3097> said<559> to Amasa<6021>, "Is it well<7965> with you, my brother<251>?" And Joab<3097> took<270> Amasa<6021> by the beard<2206> with his right<3225> hand<3027> to kiss<5401> him.
10But Amasa<6021> was not on guard<8104> against the sword<2719> which<834> was in Joab's<3097> hand<3027> so he struck<5221> him in the belly<2570> with it and poured<8210> out his inward<4578> parts<4578> on the ground<776>, and did not strike him again<8138>, and he died<4191>. Then Joab<3097> and Abishai<52> his brother<251> pursued<7291> Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075>.
11Now there stood<5975> by him one<376> of Joab's<3097> young<5288> men<5288>, and said<559>, "Whoever<4310><834> favors<2654> Joab<3097> and whoever<4310><834> is for David<1732>, let him follow<310> Joab<3097>."
12But Amasa<6021> lay<1556> wallowing<1556> in his blood<1818> in the middle<8432> of the highway<4546>. And when the man<376> saw<7200> that all<3605> the people<5971> stood<5975> still<5975>, he removed<5437> Amasa<6021> from the highway<4546> into the field<7704> and threw<7993> a garment<899> over<5921> him when<3512> he saw<7200> that everyone<3605> who came<935> by him stood<5975> still<5975>.
13As soon<3512> as he was removed<3014> from the highway<4546>, all<3605> the men<376> passed<5674> on after<310> Joab<3097> to pursue<7291> Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075>.
14Now he went<5674> through<5674> all<3605> the tribes<7626> of Israel<3478> to Abel<59>, even Beth-maacah<1038>, and all<3605> the Berites<1276>; and they were gathered<6950> together and also<637> went<935> after<310> him.
15They came<935> and besieged<6696><5921> him in Abel<62> Beth-maacah<1038>, and they cast<8210> up a siege<5550> ramp<5550> against<413> the city<5892>, and it stood<5975> by the rampart<2426>; and all<3605> the people<5971> who<834> were with Joab<3097> were wreaking<7843> destruction<7843> in order to topple<5307> the wall<2346>.
16Then a wise<2450> woman<802> called<7121> from the city<5892>, "Hear<8085>, hear<8085>! Please<4994> tell<559> Joab<3097>, 'Come<7126> here<5704><2008> that I may speak<1696> with you.'"
17So he approached<7126> her, and the woman<802> said<559>, "Are you Joab<3097>?" And he answered<559>, "I am." Then she said<559> to him, "Listen<8085> to the words<1697> of your maidservant<519>." And he answered<559>, "I am listening<8085>."
18Then she spoke<559>, saying<559>, "Formerly<7223> they used to say<559>, 'They will surely<7592> ask<7592> advice at Abel<59>,' and thus<3651> they ended<8552> the dispute.
19"I am of those who are peaceable<7999> and faithful<539> in Israel<3478>. You are seeking<1245> to destroy<4191> a city<5892>, even a mother<517> in Israel<3478>. Why<4100> would you swallow<1104> up the inheritance<5159> of the LORD<3068>?"
20Joab<3097> replied<6030>, "Far<2486> be it, far<2486> be it from me that I should swallow<1104> up or destroy<7843>!
21"Such<3651> is not the case<1697>. But a man<376> from the hill<2022> country<2022> of Ephraim<669>, Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075> by name<8034>, has lifted<5375> up his hand<3027> against King<4428> David<1732>. Only<905> hand<5414> him over<5414>, and I will depart<1980> from the city<5892>." And the woman<802> said<559> to Joab<3097>, "Behold<2009>, his head<7218> will be thrown<7993> to you over<1157> the wall<2346>."
22Then the woman<802> wisely<2451> came<935> to all<3605> the people<5971>. And they cut<3772> off<3772> the head<7218> of Sheba<7652> the son<1121> of Bichri<1075> and threw<7993> it to Joab<3097>. So he blew<8628> the trumpet<7782>, and they were dispersed<6327> from the city<5892>, each<376> to his tent<168>. Joab<3097> also returned<7725> to the king<4428> at Jerusalem<3389>.
23Now Joab<3097> was over<413> the whole<3605> army<6635> of Israel<3478>, and Benaiah<1141> the son<1121> of Jehoiada<3077> was over<5921> the Cherethites<3774> and the Pelethites<6432>;
24and Adoram<151> was over<5921> the forced<4522> labor<4522>, and Jehoshaphat<3092> the son<1121> of Ahilud<286> was the recorder<2142>;
25and Sheva<7724> was scribe<5613>, and Zadok<6659> and Abiathar<54> were priests<3548>;
26and Ira<5896> the Jairite<2972> was also<1571> a priest<3548> to David<1732>.