2 Samuel 20

Sheba’s Revolt

1Now 1a worthlessH1100 fellowH376 happenedH7122 to be thereH8033 whose nameH8034 was ShebaH7652, the sonH1121 of 2BichriH1075, a BenjamiteH376H3228; and he blewH8628 the trumpetH7782 and saidH559, “3We haveH369 noH369 portionH2506 in DavidH1732, NorH3808 do we have inheritanceH5159 in 4the sonH1121 of JesseH3448; 5EveryH376 manH376 to his tentsH168, O IsraelH3478!” 2So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 6withdrewH5927 from followingH310 DavidH1732 and followedH310 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075; but the menH376 of JudahH3063 7remainedH1692 steadfastH1692 to their kingH4428, from the JordanH3383 even to JerusalemH3389.

3Then DavidH1732 cameH935 to his houseH1004 at JerusalemH3389, and 8the kingH4428 tookH3947 the tenH6235 womenH802, the concubinesH6370 whomH834 he had leftH5117 to keepH8104 the houseH1004, and placedH5414 them under guardH1004H4931 and providedH3557 them with sustenanceH3557, but did not goH935 in to them. So they were shutH6887 up untilH5704 the dayH3117 of their deathH4191, livingH2424 as widowsH491.

4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to 9AmasaH6021, “CallH2199 out the menH376 of JudahH3063 for me within threeH7969 daysH3117, and be presentH5975 hereH6311 yourselfH859.” 5So AmasaH6021 wentH1980 to callH2199 out the men of JudahH3063, but he 10delayedH309 longer thanH4480 the setH4150 timeH4150 whichH834 he had appointedH3259 him. 6And DavidH1732 saidH559 to 11AbishaiH52, “NowH6258 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 will doH7489 us moreH4480 harmH7489 thanH4480 AbsalomH53; 12takeH3947 your lord’sH113 servantsH5650 and pursueH7291 him, soH6435 that he does not findH4672 for himself fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 and escapeH5337 from our sightH5869.” 7So Joab’sH3097 menH376 wentH3318 out afterH310 him, 13along with the CherethitesH3774 and the PelethitesH6432 and allH3605 the mightyH1368 menH1368; and they wentH3318 out from JerusalemH3389 to pursueH7291 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075. 8When they were at the largeH1419 stoneH68 whichH834 is in 14GibeonH1391, AmasaH6021 cameH935 15to meetH6440 them. Now JoabH3097 was 16dressedH2296H3830 in his military attireH3830H4055, and overH5921 it was a beltH2290 with a swordH2719 in its sheathH8593 fastenedH6775 at his waistH4975; and as he wentH3318 forwardH3318, it fellH5307 out. 9JoabH3097 saidH559 to AmasaH6021, “Is it wellH7965 with you, my brotherH251?” And 17JoabH3097 tookH270 AmasaH6021 by the beardH2206 with his rightH3225 handH3027 to kissH5401 him.

Amasa Murdered

10But AmasaH6021 was not on guardH8104 against the swordH2719 whichH834 was in Joab’sH3097 handH3027 so 18he struckH5221 him in the bellyH2570 with it and pouredH8210 out his inwardH4578 partsH4578 on the groundH776, and did not strike him againH8138, and he diedH4191. Then JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 his brotherH251 pursuedH7291 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075. 11Now there stoodH5975 by him oneH376 of Joab’sH3097 youngH5288 menH5288, and saidH559, “WhoeverH4310H834 favorsH2654 JoabH3097 and whoeverH4310H834 is for DavidH1732, 19let him followH310 JoabH3097.” 12But AmasaH6021 layH1556 wallowingH1556 in his bloodH1818 in the middleH8432 of the highwayH4546. And when the manH376 sawH7200 that allH3605 the peopleH5971 stoodH5975 stillH5975, he 20removedH5437 AmasaH6021 from the highwayH4546 into the fieldH7704 and threwH7993 a garmentH899 overH5921 him whenH3512 he sawH7200 that everyoneH3605 who cameH935 by him stoodH5975 stillH5975.

Revolt Put Down

13As soonH3512 as he was removedH3014 from the highwayH4546, allH3605 the menH376 passedH5674 on afterH310 JoabH3097 to pursueH7291 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075.

14Now he wentH5674 throughH5674 allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 to AbelH59, even Beth-maacahH1038, and allH3605 the BeritesH1276; and they were gatheredH6950 together and alsoH637 wentH935 afterH310 him. 15They cameH935 and besiegedH6696H5921 him in 21AbelH62 Beth-maacahH1038, and 22they 23castH8210 up a siegeH5550 rampH5550 againstH413 the cityH5892, and it stoodH5975 by the rampartH2426; and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with JoabH3097 were wreakingH7843 destructionH7843 in order to toppleH5307 the wallH2346. 16Then 24a wiseH2450 womanH802 calledH7121 from the cityH5892, “HearH8085, hearH8085! PleaseH4994 tellH559 JoabH3097, ‘ComeH7126 hereH5704H2008 that I may speakH1696 with you.’” 17So he approachedH7126 her, and the womanH802 saidH559, “Are you JoabH3097?” And he answeredH559, “I am.” Then she saidH559 to him, “ListenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of your maidservantH519.” And he answeredH559, “I am listeningH8085.” 18Then she spokeH559, sayingH559, “FormerlyH7223 they used to sayH559, ‘They will surelyH7592 askH7592 advice at AbelH59,’ and thusH3651 they endedH8552 the dispute. 19I am of those who are peaceableH7999 and faithfulH539 in IsraelH3478. 25You are seekingH1245 to destroyH4191 a cityH5892, even a motherH517 in IsraelH3478. WhyH4100 would you swallowH1104 up 26the inheritanceH5159 of the LordH3068?” 20JoabH3097 repliedH6030, “FarH2486 be it, farH2486 be it from me that I should swallowH1104 up or destroyH7843! 21SuchH3651 is not the caseH1697. But a manH376 from 27the hillH2022 countryH2022 of EphraimH669, 28ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 by nameH8034, has liftedH5375 up his handH3027 against KingH4428 DavidH1732. OnlyH905 handH5414 him overH5414, and I will departH1980 from the cityH5892.” And the womanH802 saidH559 to JoabH3097, “BeholdH2009, his headH7218 will be thrownH7993 to you overH1157 the wallH2346.” 22Then the womanH802 29wiselyH2451 cameH935 to allH3605 the peopleH5971. And they cutH3772 offH3772 the headH7218 of ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 and threwH7993 it to JoabH3097. So 30he blewH8628 the trumpetH7782, and they were dispersedH6327 from the cityH5892, eachH376 to his tentH168. JoabH3097 also returnedH7725 to the kingH4428 at JerusalemH3389.

2331Now JoabH3097 was overH413 the wholeH3605 armyH6635 of IsraelH3478, and BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 was overH5921 the CherethitesH3774 and the PelethitesH6432; 24and AdoramH151 was overH5921 the forcedH4522 laborH4522, and 32JehoshaphatH3092 the sonH1121 of AhiludH286 was the recorderH2142; 25and ShevaH7724 was scribeH5613, and ZadokH6659 and 33AbiatharH54 were priestsH3548; 26and IraH5896 the JairiteH2972 was alsoH1571 a priestH3548 to DavidH1732.