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Venerdi, 29 marzo 2024 - Santi Simplicio e Costantino ( Letture di oggi)

2 Samuel 20


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1Now there happened to be a scoundrel there called Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, who soundedthe trumpet and shouted: We have no share in David, we have no heritage in the son of Jesse. Every man to histents, O Israel!2At this al the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judahstuck close to their king, from the Jordan al the way to Jerusalem.3David returned to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines, whom he had left to lookafter the palace, and put them under guard. He provided for their upkeep but never went near them again; theywere shut away until the day they died, widows, as it were, of a living man.4The king said to Amasa, 'Summon me the men of Judah and be here yourself within three days.'5Amasa went off to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time fixed by David.6David then said to Abishai, 'Sheba son of Bichri is now in a position to do us more damage even thanAbsalom. Take your master's retainers and be after him, before he can reach any fortified towns and elude us.'7Joab, the Cherethites, the Pelethites and al the champions took the field under Abishai, setting offfrom Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.8They were near the great stone at Gibeon when Amasa met them, coming the other way. Joab waswearing his uniform, over which he had buckled on a sword hanging from his waist in its scabbard; the swordcame out and fel .9Joab said to Amasa, 'Are you well, brother?' and, with his right hand, took Amasa by the beard to kisshim.10Amasa paid no attention to the sword, which Joab had now picked up, and Joab struck him with it inthe bel y, spil ing his entrails al over the ground. He did not need to strike a second blow; and Amasa died, whileJoab and Abishai hurried on in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.11One of Joab's men stood on guard beside Amasa, shouting, 'Whoever is on Joab's side, whoever isfor David, fol ow Joab!'12Amasa meanwhile lay wal owing in his blood in the middle of the road. Seeing that everyone wasstopping, the man dragged Amasa off the road into the field and threw a cloak over him, having realised thateveryone passing would stop.13Once Amasa had been taken off the road, the men all carried on, fol owing Joab in pursuit of Shebason of Bichri.14Sheba crossed al the tribes of Israel as far as Abel Beth-Maacah, and the Bichrites al . . . Theyformed up and fol owed him.15Laying siege to him in Abel Beth-Maacah, they threw up a ramp against the outer wal of the town,16while the whole army accompanying Joab undermined the wal to bring it down. A quick-wittedwoman shouted from the town, 'Listen!17Listen! Say to Joab, "Come here, I want to speak to you." ' He came forward, and the woman said,'Are you Joab?' 'I am', he replied. She said, 'Listen to what your servant says.' 'I am listening,' he replied.18She then spoke as follows, 'In olden days people used to say, "Abel and Dan are where you shouldenquire19whether a tradition established by the faithful of Israel has final y died out." And yet you are trying todestroy a town, a metropolis of Israel. Why do you want to devour Yahweh's heritage?'20'The last thing I want to do', said Joab, 'is either to devour or to destroy.21This is not the issue; a man from the highlands of Ephraim, cal ed Sheba son of Bichri, has revoltedagainst the king, against David. Hand that one man over and I wil raise the siege of the town.' 'Very wel ,' thewoman said to Joab, 'his head wil be thrown over the wal to you.'22The woman went and spoke to al the people as her wisdom dictated. They cut off the head of Shebason of Bichri and threw it down to Joab. He had the trumpet sounded and they withdrew from the town and allwent home, while Joab himself went back to the king in Jerusalem.23Joab commanded the whole army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Cherethites andPelethites;24Adoram was in charge of forced labour; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was herald;25Shiya was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;26also: Ira the Jairite was David's priest.