2 Samuel 20

Sheba’s Revolt

1Now 1a worthlessH1100 manH376 happenedH7122 to be thereH8033 whose nameH8034 was ShebaH7652, the sonH1121 of 2BichriH1075, a BenjaminiteH376H3228; and he blewH8628 the trumpetH7782 and saidH559, “3We haveH369 noH369 shareH2506 in DavidH1732, NorH3808 do we have an inheritanceH5159 in 4the sonH1121 of JesseH3448; 5EveryH376 manH376 to his tentsH168, IsraelH3478!” 2So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 6withdrewH5927 from followingH310 DavidH1732 and followedH310 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075; but the menH376 of JudahH3063 7remainedH1692 loyalH1692 to their kingH4428, from the JordanH3383 even to JerusalemH3389.

3Then DavidH1732 cameH935 to his houseH1004 in JerusalemH3389, and 8the kingH4428 tookH3947 the tenH6235 womenH802, the concubinesH6370 whomH834 he had leftH5117 behindH5117 to takeH8104 careH8104 of the houseH1004, and putH5414 them in custodyH1004H4931 and providedH3557 them withH3557 foodH3557, but did not 9haveH935 relationsH935 withH935 them. So they were lockedH6887 upH6887 untilH5704 the dayH3117 of their deathH4191, livingH2424 as widowsH491.

4Now the kingH4428 saidH559 to 10AmasaH6021, “SummonH2199 the menH376 of JudahH3063 for me within threeH7969 daysH3117, and be presentH5975 hereH6311 yourselfH859.” 5So AmasaH6021 wentH1980 to summonH2199 the men of JudahH3063, but he was 11delayedH309 longer thanH4480 the setH4150 timeH4150 whichH834 he had designatedH3259 for him. 6And DavidH1732 saidH559 to 12AbishaiH52, “NowH6258 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 will doH7489 us moreH4480 harmH7489 thanH4480 AbsalomH53; 13takeH3947 your lord’sH113 servantsH5650 and pursueH7291H310 him, soH6435 thatH6435 he does notH6435 findH4672 for himself fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892 and escapeH5337 from our sightH5869.” 7So Joab’sH3097 menH376 wentH3318 outH3318 afterH310 him, 14along with the CherethitesH3774, the PelethitesH6432, and allH3605 the warriorsH1368; and they leftH3318 JerusalemH3389 to pursueH7291H310 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075. 8When they were at the largeH1419 stoneH68 whichH834 is in 15GibeonH1391, AmasaH6021 cameH935 16to meetH6440 them. Now JoabH3097 was dressedH2296H3830 in his militaryH4055 attireH3830, and overH5921 it he had a beltH2290 with a swordH2719 in its sheathH8593 strappedH6775 on at his waistH4975; and as he wentH3318 forwardH3318, it fellH5307 outH5307. 9And JoabH3097 saidH559 to AmasaH6021, “Is it goingH7965 wellH7965 for you, my brotherH251?” And 17JoabH3097 tookH270 holdH270 of 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 spilledH8210 outH8210 his intestinesH4578 on the groundH776, and didH8138 not strike him againH8138, and he diedH4191. Then JoabH3097 and his brotherH251 AbishaiH52 pursuedH7291H310 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075. 11Now oneH376 of Joab’sH3097 youngH5288 menH5288 stoodH5975 by him and saidH559, “WhoeverH4310H834 favorsH2654 JoabH3097 and whoeverH4310H834 is for DavidH1732, 19followH310 JoabH3097!” 12But AmasaH6021 was wallowingH1556 in his own bloodH1818 in the middleH8432 of the roadH4546. And when the manH376 sawH7200 that allH3605 the peopleH5971 stoodH5975 stillH5975, he removedH5437 AmasaH6021 from the roadH4546 to the fieldH7704 and threwH7993 a garmentH899 overH5921 him whenH3512 he sawH7200 that everyoneH3605 who cameH935 by him stoodH5975 stillH5975.

Revolt Put Down

13AsH3512 soonH3512 asH3512 he was removedH3014 from the roadH4546, allH3605 the menH376 wentH5674 onH5674 afterH310 JoabH3097 to pursueH7291H310 ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075.

14Now he wentH5674 onH5674 through allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 to AbelH59, that is, Beth-maacahH1038, and allH3605 the BeritesH1276; and they assembledH6950 and wentH935 afterH310 him as wellH637. 15And they cameH935 and besiegedH6696H5921 him in 20AbelH62 Beth-maacahH1038, and 21they 22builtH8210 upH8210 an assaultH5550 rampH5550 againstH413 the cityH5892, and it stoodH5975 against the outerH2426 rampartH2426; and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with JoabH3097 were wreakingH7843 destructionH7843 in order to toppleH5307 the wallH2346. 16Then 23a wiseH2450 womanH802 calledH7121 outH7121 from the cityH5892, “ListenH8085, listenH8085! 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 slaveH519.” And he saidH559, “I am listeningH8085.” 18Then she spokeH559, sayingH559, “In the pastH7223 they used to sayH559, ‘They will undoubtedlyH7592 askH7592 advice at AbelH59,’ and thatH3651 isH3651 howH3651 they endedH8552 a dispute. 19I am one of those who are readyH7999 forH7999 peaceH7999 and faithfulH539 in IsraelH3478. 24You are tryingH1245 to destroyH4191 a cityH5892, even a motherH517 in IsraelH3478. WhyH4100 would you swallowH1104 upH1104 25the inheritanceH5159 of the LordH3068?” 20JoabH3097 repliedH6030, “FarH2486 be it, farH2486 be it from me that I would consumeH1104 or destroyH7843! 21SuchH3651 is not the caseH1697. But a manH376 from 26the hillH2022 countryH2022 of EphraimH669, 27ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 by nameH8034, has raisedH5375 his handH3027 against KingH4428 DavidH1732. OnlyH905 turnH5414 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 28wiselyH2451 cameH935 to allH3605 the peopleH5971. And they cutH3772 offH3772 the headH7218 of ShebaH7652 the sonH1121 of BichriH1075 and threwH7993 it to JoabH3097. So 29he blewH8628 the trumpetH7782, and they were dispersedH6327 from the cityH5892, eachH376 to his tentH168. JoabH3097 also returnedH7725 to the kingH4428 at JerusalemH3389.

2330Now JoabH3097 was in command of the entireH3605 armyH6635 of IsraelH3478, and BenaiahH1141 the sonH1121 of JehoiadaH3077 was overH5921 the CherethitesH3774 and the PelethitesH6432; 24and AdoramH151 was overH5921 the forcedH4522 laborH4522, and 31JehoshaphatH3092 the sonH1121 of AhiludH286 was the secretaryH4206; 25and ShevaH7724 was scribeH5613, and ZadokH6659 and 32AbiatharH54 were priestsH3548; 26IraH5896 the JairiteH2972 alsoH1571 was a priestH3548 to DavidH1732.