New Living Translation
2 Samuel 20:1
1There happened to be a troublemaker there named Sheba son of Bicri, a man from the tribe of Benjamin. Sheba blew a ram’s horn and began to chant: “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Come on, you men of Israel, back to your homes!”
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
There happened to be a troublemaker there named Sheba son of Bicri, a man from the tribe of Benjamin. Sheba blew a ram’s horn and began to chant: “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Come on, you men of Israel, back to your homes!” 2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him 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 placed them in seclusion. Their needs were provided for, but he no longer slept with them. So each of them lived like a widow until she 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 19:41But all the men of Israel complained to the king, “The men of Judah stole the king and didn’t give us the honor of helping take you, your household, and all your men across the Jordan.”
- Psalms 34:19The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
- 2 Samuel 23:6But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away, for they tear the hand that touches them.
- Deuteronomy 13:13that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods you have not known before.
- Judges 19:22While they were enjoying themselves, a crowd of troublemakers from the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, “Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him.”
- 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord
- 1 Samuel 30:22But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
- Psalms 17:13Arise, O Lord! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
- Proverbs 26:21A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
- Habakkuk 1:12O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal— surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins.
- 2 Samuel 15:10But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’”
- Judges 3:27When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.
- Proverbs 24:21My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,
- Proverbs 25:8don’t be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?
- 2 Samuel 19:43“But there are ten tribes in Israel,” the others replied. “So we have ten times as much right to the king as you do. What right do you have to treat us with such contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing him back to be our king again?” The argument continued back and forth, and the men of Judah spoke even more harshly than the men of Israel.
- 1 Kings 12:16When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!” So the people of Israel returned home.
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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