2 Samuel 20

1Now a worthlessH1100 manH376 namedH8034 ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075, a BenjamiteH376H3228, happenedH7122 to be thereH8033, and he blewH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 and shoutedH559:

2So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 desertedH5927H310 DavidH1732 to followH310 ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075. But the menH376 of JudahH3063 stayed byH1692 their kingH4428 all the wayH5704 fromH4480 the JordanH3383 to JerusalemH3389.

3When DavidH1732 returnedH935 toH413 his palaceH1004 in JerusalemH3389, heH4428 tookH3947 the tenH6235H802 concubinesH6370 he had leftH5117 to take care ofH8104 the palaceH1004, and he placed themH5414 in a houseH1004 under guardH4931. He provided for themH3557, but he no longerH3808 slept withH413 themH935. They wereH1961 confinedH6887 untilH5704 the dayH3117 of their deathH4191, livingH2424 as widowsH491.

4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 AmasaH6021, “SummonH2199 the menH376 of JudahH3063 to come to me within threeH7969 daysH3117, and be hereH6311H5975 yourselfH859.”

5So AmasaH6021 wentH1980 to summonH2199 JudahH3063, but he took longerH309 thanH4480 the timeH4150 allotted himH3259.

6And DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 AbishaiH52, “NowH6258 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 will do us more harmH3415 thanH4480 AbsalomH53H859. TakeH3947 your lord’sH113 servantsH5650 and pursue himH7291H310, orH6435 he will findH4672 fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 and eludeH5337 usH5869.1”

7So Joab’sH3097 menH582, along with the CherethitesH3774, the PelethitesH6432, and allH3605 the mighty menH1368, marched out ofH3318 JerusalemH3389 in pursuitH7291H310 of ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075. 8And while theyH1992 were atH5973 the greatH1419 stoneH68 in GibeonH1391, AmasaH6021 joinedH935 themH6440.

Now JoabH3097 was dressedH2296 in military attireH4055H3830, with a daggerH2719 strappedH6775 to his beltH2290H5921H4975. And as heH1931 stepped forwardH3318, he slipped the daggerH5307 from its sheathH8593.2 9“Are youH859 wellH7965, my brotherH251?” JoabH3097 askedH559 AmasaH6021. And with his rightH3225 handH3027 JoabH3097 grabbedH270 AmasaH6021 by the beardH2206 to kissH5401 him.

10AmasaH6021 was notH3808 on guardH8104 against the daggerH2719 in Joab’sH3097 handH3027, and Joab stabbedH5221 him inH413 the stomachH2570 and spilled out his intestinesH4578H8210 on the groundH776. And Joab did not needH3808 to strike him againH8138, for Amasa was deadH4191. Then JoabH3097 and his brotherH251 AbishaiH52 pursuedH7291H310 ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075.

11OneH376 of Joab’sH3097 young menH5288 stoodH5975 near AmasaH5921 and saidH559, “WhoeverH4310 favorsH2654 JoabH3097, and whoeverH4310 is for DavidH1732, let him followH310 JoabH3097!” 12But AmasaH6021 wallowedH1556 in his bloodH1818 in the middleH8432 of the roadH4546, and when the manH376 sawH7200 thatH3588 allH3605 the troopsH5971 were stopping thereH5975, he draggedH5437 the body offH4480 the roadH4546 into a fieldH7704 and threwH7993 a garmentH899 over itH5921. 13As soon asH834 Amasa’s body was removedH3014 fromH4480 the roadH4546, allH3605 the menH376 went onH5674 withH310 JoabH3097 to pursueH7291H310 ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075.

14Sheba passedH5674 through allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 to Abel-beth-maacahH59H10383 and through the entireH3605 region of the BeritesH1276,4 who gathered togetherH7034 and followedH935H637 himH310.

15And Joab’s troops cameH935 and besiegedH6696 Sheba in Abel-beth-maacahH59H1038 and builtH8210 a siege rampH5550H413 against the outer rampartH2426 of the cityH5892H5975.

As allH3605 the troopsH5971 withH854 JoabH3097 were batteringH7843 the wallH2346 to topple itH5307, 16a wiseH2450 womanH802 called outH7121 fromH4480 the cityH5892, “ListenH8085! ListenH8085! PleaseH4994 tellH559 JoabH3097 to comeH7126H5704 hereH2008 so that I may speakH1696 with himH413.”

17When he had come nearH7126 to herH413, the womanH802 askedH559, “Are youH859 JoabH3097?”

“IH589 am,” he repliedH559.

“ListenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of your servantH519,” she saidH559.

“I amH595 listeningH8085,” he answeredH559.

18Then the woman saidH559, “Long agoH7223H559 they used to sayH1696, ‘Seek counselH7592 at AbelH59,’ and that is howH3651 disputes were settledH8552. 19IH595 am among the peaceableH7999 and faithfulH529 in IsraelH3478, but you areH859 tryingH1245 to destroyH4191 a cityH5892 that is a motherH517 in IsraelH3478. WhyH4100 would you swallow upH1104 the LORD’sH3068 inheritanceH5159?”

20“Far be itH2486!” JoabH3097 declaredH559. “Far be itH2486 from me toH518 swallow upH1104 orH518 destroyH7843! 21ThatH1697 is notH3808 the caseH3651. ButH3588 a manH376 namedH8034 ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075, from the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669, has liftedH5375 up his handH3027 against the kingH4428, against DavidH1732. DeliverH5414 himH853 aloneH905, and I will departH1980 fromH5921 the cityH5892.”

“LookH2009,” the womanH802 repliedH559, “his headH7218 will be thrownH7993 to youH413 overH1157 the wallH2346.”

22Then the womanH802 wentH935 toH413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 with her wise counselH2451, and they cut offH3772 the headH7218 of ShebaH7652 sonH1121 of BichriH1075 and threwH7993 it toH413 JoabH3097. So he blewH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 and his men dispersedH6327 fromH5921 the cityH5892, eachH376 to his own homeH168. And JoabH3097 returnedH7725 toH413 the kingH4428 in JerusalemH3389.

23Now JoabH3097 was overH413 the wholeH3605 armyH6635 of IsraelH3478; BenaiahH1141 sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 was overH5921 the CherethitesH3746 andH5921 PelethitesH6432; 24AdoramH1515 was in charge ofH5921 the forced laborH4522; JehoshaphatH3092 sonH1121 of AhiludH286 was the recorderH2142; 25ShevaH78646 was the scribeH5608; ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 were priestsH3548; 26andH1571 IraH5896 the JairiteH29727 wasH1961 David’sH1732 priestH3548.