2 Samuel 20

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Now 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!	1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Seba, the son of Bochri, a man of Jemini: and he sounded the trumpet, and said: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.
2 At 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.	2 And all Israel departed from David, and followed Seba the son of Bochri: but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto Jerusalem.
3 David 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.	3 And when the king was come into his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.
4 The king said to Amasa, 'Summon me the men of Judah and be here yourself within three days.'	4 And the king said to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda against the third day, and be thou here present.
5 Amasa went off to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time fixed by David.	5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the set time which the king had appointed him.
6 David 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.'	6 And David said to Abisai: Now will Seba the son of Bochri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou therefore the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he find fenced cities, and escape us.
7 Joab, the Cherethites, the Pelethites and al the champions took the field under Abishai, setting offfrom Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.	7 So Joab's men went out with him, and the Cerethi and the Phelethi: and all the valiant men went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.
8 They 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 .	8 And when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat of equal length with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scabbard, made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike.
9 Joab said to Amasa, 'Are you well, brother?' and, with his right hand, took Amasa by the beard to kisshim.	9 And Joab said to Amasa: God save thee, my brother. And he took Amasa by the chin with his right hand to kiss him.
10 Amasa 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.	10 But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and gave him not a second wound, and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.
11 One of Joab's men stood on guard beside Amasa, shouting, 'Whoever is on Joab's side, whoever isfor David, fol ow Joab!'	11 In the mean time some men of Joab's company stopping at the dead body of Amasa, said: Behold he that would have been in Joab's stead the companion of David.
12 Amasa 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.	12 And Amasa imbrued with blood, lay in the midst of the way. A certain man saw this that all the people stood still to look upon him, so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered him with a garment, that they who passed might not stop on his account.
13 Once Amasa had been taken off the road, the men all carried on, fol owing Joab in pursuit of Shebason of Bichri.	13 And when he was removed out of the way, all the people went on following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.
14 Sheba crossed al the tribes of Israel as far as Abel Beth-Maacah, and the Bichrites al . . . Theyformed up and fol owed him.	14 Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and Bethmaacha: and all the chosen men were gathered together unto him.
15 Laying siege to him in Abel Beth-Maacah, they threw up a ramp against the outer wal of the town,	15 And they came, and besieged him in Abela, and in Bethmaacha, and they cast up works round the city, and the city was besieged: and all the people that were with Joab, laboured to throw down the walls.
16 while the whole army accompanying Joab undermined the wal to bring it down. A quick-wittedwoman shouted from the town, 'Listen!	16 And a wise woman cried out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.
17 Listen! 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.	17 And when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy handmaid. He answered: I do hear.
18 She then spoke as follows, 'In olden days people used to say, "Abel and Dan are where you shouldenquire	18 And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.
19 whether 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?'	19 Am not I she that answer truth in Israel, and thou seekest to destroy the city, and to overthrow a mother in Israel? Why wilt thou throw down the inheritance of the Lord?
20 'The last thing I want to do', said Joab, 'is either to devour or to destroy.	20 And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.
21 This 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.'	21 The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against king David: deliver him only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab: Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.
22 The 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.	22 So she went to all the people, and spoke to them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba the son of Bochri, and cast it out to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they departed from the city, every one to their home: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Joab commanded the whole army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Cherethites andPelethites;	23 So Joab was over all the army of Israel: and Banaias the son of Joiada was over the Cerethites and Phelethites,
24 Adoram was in charge of forced labour; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was herald;	24 But Aduram over the tributes: and Josaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.
25 Shiya was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;	25 And Siva was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar, priests.
26 also: Ira the Jairite was David's priest.	26 And Ira the Jairite was the priest of David.