[1] There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son
of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no
portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every
man to his tents, Israel. [2] So all the men of Israel went up from
following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah
joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. [3] 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 custody, and provided
them with sustenance, but didn`t go in to them. So they were shut up to the
day of their death, living in widowhood. [4] Then said the king to Amasa,
Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be you here
present. [5] So Amasa went to call [the men of] Judah together; but he
stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. [6] David said
to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did
Absalom: take your lord`s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him
fortified cities, and escape out of our sight. [7] 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] When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to
meet them. Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and
thereon was a sash with a sword fastened on his loins in the sheath of it;
and as he went forth it fell out. [9] Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with
you, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss
him. [10] But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab`s hand: so
he struck him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground,
and didn`t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother
pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. [11] There stood by him one of
Joab`s young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and he who is for David,
let him follow Joab. [12] Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of
the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried
Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when
he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. [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] He went through all the tribes of Israel to
Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered
together, and went also after him. [15] They came and besieged him in Abel
of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood
against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the
wall, to throw it down. [16] Then cried a wise woman out of the city,
"Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, `Come near here, that I may speak with
you.`" [17] He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He
answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He
answered, I do hear. [18] Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak
in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they
ended [the matter]. [19] I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in
Israel: you seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why will you
swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh? [20] Joab answered, Far be it, far be
it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. [21] The matter is not so:
but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name,
has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him
only, and I will depart from the city. The woman said to Joab, Behold, his
head shall be thrown to you over the wall. [22] Then the woman went to all
the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri,
and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from
the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
[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] and Adoram
was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud
was the recorder; [25] and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were
priests; [26] and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
