God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 20:1
1A good-for-nothing man by the name of Sheba, Bichri’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin happened to be at Gilgal. He blew a ram’s horn ⌞to announce⌟, “We have no share in David’s kingdom. We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son. Everyone to his own tent, Israel!”
2 Samuel 20:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, Israel!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, "We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: “We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!”
Context of 2 Samuel 20:1
A good-for-nothing man by the name of Sheba, Bichri’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin happened to be at Gilgal. He blew a ram’s horn ⌞to announce⌟, “We have no share in David’s kingdom. We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son. Everyone to his own tent, Israel!” 2So all the people of Israel left David to follow Sheba, Bichri’s son. But the people of Judah remained loyal to their king ⌞on his way⌟ from the Jordan River to Jerusalem. 3When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but no longer slept with them. So they lived like widows in confinement until they died.
Read all of 2 Samuel 202 Samuel 20:1 word by word
וְשָׁ֨ם נִקְרָ֜א אִ֣ישׁ בְּלִיַּ֗עַל וּשְׁמ֛וֹ שֶׁ֥בַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִ֖י אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינִ֑י וַיִּתְקַ֣ע בַּשֹּׁפָ֗ר וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אֵֽין־לָ֨נוּ חֵ֜לֶק בְּדָוִ֗ד וְלֹ֤א נַֽחֲלָה־לָ֙נוּ֙ בְּבֶן־יִשַׁ֔י אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָ֖יו יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there happenedקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: chancedH7122
- to be there a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Belialבְּלִיַּ֫עַלbelîya‛al · BelialH1100
- whose nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- Shebaשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ · ShebaH7652
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Bichriבִּכְרִיbikrîy · BichriH1075
- a Benjamiteבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145
- and he blewתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
- a trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We have no partחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
- in Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- neither have we inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- of Jesseיִשַׁיyishay 'îyshay · JesseH3448
- manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- to his tentsאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- O Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:1
- 2 Samuel 19:41Then all the people of Israel kept coming to the king. They asked, “Why did our cousins, the people of Judah, kidnap you and bring Your Majesty and your family and men across the Jordan River?”
- Psalms 34:19The righteous person has many troubles, but the Lord rescues him from all of them.
- 2 Samuel 23:6“Worthless people are like thorns. All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
- Deuteronomy 13:13have been led away from the Lord your God by worthless people. You may hear that these people have been saying, “Let’s worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods you’ve never heard of.)
- Judges 19:22While they were enjoying themselves, some worthless men from the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door. They told the old man, the owner of the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with him.”
- 1 Samuel 2:12Eli’s sons, ⌞Hophni and Phinehas,⌟ were good-for-nothing priests; they had no faith in the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 30:22Then every wicked and worthless man who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, they shouldn’t be given any of the loot we recovered. Each of them should take only his wife and children and leave.”
- Psalms 17:13Arise, O Lord; confront them! Bring them to their knees! With your sword rescue my life from wicked people.
- Proverbs 26:21⌞As⌟ charcoal fuels burning coals and wood fuels fire, so a quarrelsome person fuels a dispute.
- Habakkuk 1:12Didn’t you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die! O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.
- 2 Samuel 15:10But Absalom sent his loyal supporters to all the tribes of Israel and said, “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron.’ ”
- Judges 3:27When he arrived there, he blew a ram’s horn in the mountains of Ephraim ⌞to summon the troops⌟. So the troops of Israel came down from the mountains with him, and he led them.
- Proverbs 24:21Fear the Lord, my son. Fear the king as well. Do not associate with those who always insist upon change,
- Proverbs 25:8Do not be in a hurry to go to court. What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you?
- 2 Samuel 19:43The people of Israel answered the people of Judah, “We have ten times your interest in the king and a greater claim on David than you have. Why, then, do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the people of Judah spoke ⌞even⌟ more harshly than the people of Israel.
- 1 Kings 12:16When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “What share do we have in David’s kingdom? We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son. To your own tents, Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel went home to their own tents.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Sheba, the son of Bichri - As this man was a Benjamite, he probably belonged to the family of Saul; and he seems to have had considerable influence in Israel to raise such an insurrection: but we know nothing farther of him than what is related in this place. We have no part in David - We of Israel, we of the ten tribes, are under no obligation to the house of David. Leave him, and let every man fall into the ranks under his own leader.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The son of Bichri - Rather, “a Bichrite,” formed like the names “Ahohite,” “Hachmonite,” etc. 2 Samuel 23:8-9, and so called from Becher, the son of Benjamin Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:6-8 Saul was also of this family. It is evident that the transfer of the royalty from their tribe to that of Judah still rankled in the hearts of many Benjamites (2 Samuel 16:8 note).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Sheba's rebellion. (1-3) Amasa slain by Joab. (4-13) Sheba takes refuge in Abel. (14-22) David's officers. (23-26) Verses 1-3 One trial arises after another for our good, till we reach the place where sin and sorrow are for ever done away. Angry disputers misunderstand or misconstrue one another's words; proud men will have every thing their own way, or wholly refuse their assistance. The favour of the many is not to be depended upon; and what have others…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1We have no share in David: The northern Israelites used this same rallying cry to break away from Solomon (1 Kings 12:16). Sheba’s failed revolt hinted at the eventual downfall of the northern kingdom, which began with a similar revolt by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-92Sa 20:1-9. Sheba Makes a Party in Israel. 1. Sheba ... a Benjamite--Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence, before he could have raised so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, where the adherents of Saul's dynasty were still numerous; and perceiving the strong disgust of the other tribes with the part assumed by Judah in the restoration, his ill-designing heart…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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