Bible, King James Version
2_Samuel
2Sam.20
[1] 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.
[2] 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.
[3] 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.
[4] Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of
Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
[5] So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he
tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
[6] 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.
[7] 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.
[8] 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.
[9] 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.
[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 Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were
gathered together, and went also after him.
[15] And they came and besieged him in Abel of
Beth-maachah, 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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