2 Samuel 20

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own 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 And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as 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 had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.
4 The king said to Amasa, 'Summon me the men of Judah and be here yourself within three days.'	4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”
5 Amasa went off to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time fixed by David.	5 Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to 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 Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from 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 so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue 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 And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.
9 Joab said to Amasa, 'Are you well, brother?' and, with his right hand, took Amasa by the beard to kisshim.	9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if 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 notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued 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 Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, 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 Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.
13 Once Amasa had been taken off the road, the men all carried on, fol owing Joab in pursuit of Shebason of Bichri.	13 Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of 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 Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.
15 Laying siege to him in Abel Beth-Maacah, they threw up a ramp against the outer wal of the town,	15 And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy 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 exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”
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 had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”
18 She then spoke as follows, 'In olden days people used to say, "Abel and Dan are where you shouldenquire	18 And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.
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 I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast 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 responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.
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 as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you 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 Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Joab commanded the whole army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Cherethites andPelethites;	23 Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.
24 Adoram was in charge of forced labour; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was herald;	24 Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.
25 Shiya was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;	25 Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26 also: Ira the Jairite was David's priest.	26 But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.