2 Samuel 20

1 And a lawless man happened to be there, and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he blew the horn and said, “We have no share in David, and no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, Israel!” [a] 2 And every man of Israel went up from following David, after Sheba son of Bichri; but the men of Judah held to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.

3 And David came into his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a house under guard, and provided for them, and did not go in to them. And they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 And the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me within three days, and you yourself be here.” 5 And Amasa went to summon Judah, and he took longer than the time David had appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants with you and chase after him, or he will find fortified cities for himself and be lost to our sight.” [d] 7 And the men of Joab went out after him, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to chase after Sheba son of Bichri. [e]

8 And they were beside the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa came in ahead of them. And Joab was wearing a soldier’s cloak over his clothing, and over it he was belted with a sword fastened at his hip in its sheath; and the sword came out, and it fell. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Are you well, my brother?” And Joab’s right hand took hold of Amasa’s beard to kiss him. 10 And Amasa did not watch the sword that was in Joab’s hand, and Joab struck him with it in the belly, and his insides poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him a second time, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother chased after Sheba son of Bichri.

11 And a man stood over him, one of Joab’s young men, and said, “Whoever wants Joab, and whoever is for David — after Joab!” 12 And Amasa lay soaked in his blood in the middle of the path. And the man saw that all the people were standing still, and he moved Amasa out of the path into a field and threw a garment over him, because he saw that everyone who came upon him stood still. 13 And when he had been taken clear of the path, every man of Israel passed on after Joab, to chase after Sheba son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and to Beth-maacah; and all in Charri too were called together, and they came in behind him. [f] 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel and Beth-maacah, and they piled up a ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer wall; and all the people with Joab were set on bringing the wall down. [g] 16 And a wise woman called out from the wall and said, “Listen, listen! Say to Joab, Come near here, and I will speak to him.”

17 And he came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he said, “I am.” And she said to him, “Hear the words of your slave.” And Joab said, “I am listening.” 18 And she spoke, saying, “In the old days they used to say this: ‘Let them ask in Abel and in Dan whether what the faithful of Israel laid down has failed.’ They will surely ask in Abel, and so learn whether it has failed. 19 I am one of the peaceable, one of the supports of Israel; but you are seeking to put a city to death, and a mother city in Israel. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” [h]

20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it from me, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not the matter. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim — Sheba son of Bichri is his name — has lifted his hand against King David. Give me him alone, and I will go away from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Look, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 And the woman went in to all the people, and spoke to all the city in her wisdom; and they took off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. And he blew the horn, and they scattered from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

23 And Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; 24 and Adoniram was over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was keeper of the records; [i] 25 and Shusha was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; [j] 26 and Ira the Jairite too was priest to David. [k]