2 Samuel 20

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
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 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.
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 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to 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 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So 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 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, 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 Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he 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 Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him 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 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
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 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
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, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the 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 took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
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 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
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 wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13 Once Amasa had been taken off the road, the men all carried on, fol owing Joab in pursuit of Shebason of Bichri.	13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
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 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after 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 Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16 while the whole army accompanying Joab undermined the wal to bring it down. A quick-wittedwoman shouted from the town, 'Listen!	16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may 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 unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And 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 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
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 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up 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 answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or 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, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over 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 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
23 Joab commanded the whole army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Cherethites andPelethites;	23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
24 Adoram was in charge of forced labour; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was herald;	24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:
25 Shiya was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;	25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
26 also: Ira the Jairite was David's priest.	26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.