1 And there happened{H7122}{(H8738)} to be there a man{H376} of Belial{H1100}, whose name{H8034} was Sheba{H7652}, the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}, a Benjamite{H1145}: and he blew{H8628}{(H8799)} a trumpet{H7782}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, We have no part{H2506} in David{H1732}, neither have we inheritance{H5159} in the son{H1121} of Jesse{H3448}: every{H376} man{H376} to his tents{H168}, O Israel{H3478}.

2 So every man{H376} of Israel{H3478} went up{H5927}{(H8799)} from after{H310} David{H1732}, and followed{H310} Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}: but the men{H376} of Judah{H3063} clave{H1692}{(H8804)} unto their king{H4428}, from Jordan{H3383} even to Jerusalem{H3389}.

3 And David{H1732} came{H935}{(H8799)} to his house{H1004} at Jerusalem{H3389}; and the king{H4428} took{H3947}{(H8799)} the ten{H6235} women{H802} his concubines{H6370}, whom he had left{H3240}{(H8689)} to keep{H8104}{(H8800)} the house{H1004}, and put{H5414}{(H8799)} them in ward{H4931}, and fed{H3557}{(H8770)} them, but went not in{H935}{(H8804)} unto them. So they were shut up{H6887}{(H8803)} unto the day{H3117} of their death{H4191}{(H8800)}, living{H2424} in widowhood{H491}.

4 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} the king{H4428} to Amasa{H6021}, Assemble{H2199}{(H8685)} me the men{H376} of Judah{H3063} within three{H7969} days{H3117}, and be thou here present{H5975}{(H8798)}.

5 So Amasa{H6021} went{H3212}{(H8799)} to assemble{H2199}{(H8687)} the men of Judah{H3063}: but he tarried longer{H309}{(H8799)}{(H8675)}{H3186}{(H8799)} than the set time{H4150} which he had appointed{H3259}{(H8804)} him.

6 And David{H1732} said{H559}{(H8799)} to Abishai{H52}, Now shall Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075} do us more harm{H3415}{(H8799)} than did Absalom{H53}: take{H3947}{(H8798)} thou thy lord's{H113} servants{H5650}, and pursue{H7291}{(H8798)} after{H310} him, lest he get{H4672}{(H8804)} him fenced{H1219}{(H8803)} cities{H5892}, and escape{H5337}{(H8689)} us{H5869}.

7 And there went out{H3318}{(H8799)} after{H310} him Joab's{H3097} men{H582}, and the Cherethites{H3774}, and the Pelethites{H6432}, and all the mighty men{H1368}: and they went out{H3318}{(H8799)} of Jerusalem{H3389}, to pursue{H7291}{(H8800)} after{H310} Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}.

8 When they were at the great{H1419} stone{H68} which is in Gibeon{H1391}, Amasa{H6021} went{H935}{(H8804)} before{H6440} them. And Joab's{H3097} garment{H4055} that he had put on{H3830} was girded{H2296}{(H8803)} unto him, and upon it a girdle{H2289} with a sword{H2719} fastened{H6775}{(H8794)} upon his loins{H4975} in the sheath{H8593} thereof; and as he went forth{H3318}{(H8804)} it fell out{H5307}{(H8799)}.

9 And Joab{H3097} said{H559}{(H8799)} to Amasa{H6021}, Art thou in health{H7965}, my brother{H251}? And Joab{H3097} took{H270}{(H8799)} Amasa{H6021} by the beard{H2206} with the right{H3225} hand{H3027} to kiss{H5401}{(H8800)} him.

10 But Amasa{H6021} took no heed{H8104}{(H8738)} to the sword{H2719} that was in Joab's{H3097} hand{H3027}: so he smote{H5221}{(H8686)} him therewith in the fifth{H2570} rib, and shed out{H8210}{(H8799)} his bowels{H4578} to the ground{H776}, and struck him not again{H8138}{(H8804)}; and he died{H4191}{(H8799)}. So Joab{H3097} and Abishai{H52} his brother{H251} pursued{H7291}{(H8804)} after{H310} Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}.

11 And one{H376} of Joab's{H3097} men{H5288} stood{H5975}{(H8804)} by him, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, He{H4310} that favoureth{H2654}{(H8804)} Joab{H3097}, and he that is for David{H1732}, let him go after{H310} Joab{H3097}.

12 And Amasa{H6021} wallowed{H1556}{(H8706)} in blood{H1818} in the midst{H8432} of the highway{H4546}. And when the man{H376} saw{H7200}{(H8799)} that all the people{H5971} stood still{H5975}{(H8804)}, he removed{H5437}{(H8686)} Amasa{H6021} out of the highway{H4546} into the field{H7704}, and cast{H7993}{(H8686)} a cloth{H899} upon him, when he saw{H7200}{(H8804)} that every one that came{H935}{(H8802)} by him stood still{H5975}{(H8804)}.

13 When he was removed{H3014}{(H8689)} out of the highway{H4546}, all the people{H376} went on{H5674}{(H8804)} after{H310} Joab{H3097}, to pursue{H7291}{(H8800)} after{H310} Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}.

14 And he went{H5674}{(H8799)} through all the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} unto Abel{H59}, and to Bethmaachah{H1038}, and all the Berites{H1276}: and they were gathered together{H6950}{(H8735)}{(H8675)}{H7035}{(H8735)}, and went{H935}{(H8799)} also after{H310} him.

15 And they came{H935}{(H8799)} and besieged{H6696}{(H8799)} him in Abel{H59} of Bethmaachah{H1038}, and they cast up{H8210}{(H8799)} a bank{H5550} against the city{H5892}, and it stood{H5975}{(H8799)} in the trench{H2426}: and all the people{H5971} that were with Joab{H3097} battered{H7843}{(H8688)} the wall{H2346}, to throw it down{H5307}{(H8687)}.

16 Then cried{H7121}{(H8799)} a wise{H2450} woman{H802} out of the city{H5892}, Hear{H8085}{(H8798)}, hear{H8085}{(H8798)}; say{H559}{(H8798)}, I pray you, unto Joab{H3097}, Come near{H7126}{(H8798)} hither, that I may speak{H1696}{(H8762)} with thee.

17 And when he was come near{H7126}{(H8799)} unto her, the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Art thou Joab{H3097}? And he answered{H559}{(H8799)}, I am he. Then she said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Hear{H8085}{(H8798)} the words{H1697} of thine handmaid{H519}. And he answered{H559}{(H8799)}, I do hear{H8085}{(H8802)}.

18 Then she spake{H559}{(H8799)}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, They were wont{H1696}{(H8763)} to speak{H1696}{(H8762)} in old time{H7223}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, They shall surely{H7592}{(H8800)} ask{H7592}{(H8762)} counsel at Abel{H59}: and so they ended{H8552}{(H8689)} the matter.

19 I am one of them that are peaceable{H7999}{(H8803)} and faithful{H539}{(H8803)} in Israel{H3478}: thou seekest{H1245}{(H8764)} to destroy{H4191}{(H8687)} a city{H5892} and a mother{H517} in Israel{H3478}: why wilt thou swallow up{H1104}{(H8762)} the inheritance{H5159} of the LORD{H3068}?

20 And Joab{H3097} answered{H6030}{(H8799)} and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Far be it{H2486}, far be it{H2486} from me, that I should swallow up{H1104}{(H8762)} or destroy{H7843}{(H8686)}.

21 The matter{H1697} is not so: but a man{H376} of mount{H2022} Ephraim{H669}, Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075} by name{H8034}, hath lifted up{H5375}{(H8804)} his hand{H3027} against the king{H4428}, even against David{H1732}: deliver{H5414}{(H8798)} him only, and I will depart{H3212}{(H8799)} from the city{H5892}. And the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Joab{H3097}, Behold, his head{H7218} shall be thrown{H7993}{(H8716)} to thee over{H1157} the wall{H2346}.

22 Then the woman{H802} went{H935}{(H8799)} unto all the people{H5971} in her wisdom{H2451}. And they cut off{H3772}{(H8799)} the head{H7218} of Sheba{H7652} the son{H1121} of Bichri{H1075}, and cast{H7993}{(H8686)} it out to Joab{H3097}. And he blew{H8628}{(H8799)} a trumpet{H7782}, and they retired{H6327}{(H8799)} from the city{H5892}, every man{H376} to his tent{H168}. And Joab{H3097} returned{H7725}{(H8804)} to Jerusalem{H3389} unto the king{H4428}.

23 Now Joab{H3097} was over all the host{H6635} of Israel{H3478}: and Benaiah{H1141} the son{H1121} of Jehoiada{H3077} was over the Cherethites{H3774}{(H8675)}{H3746} and over the Pelethites{H6432}:

24 And Adoram{H151} was over the tribute{H4522}: and Jehoshaphat{H3092} the son{H1121} of Ahilud{H286} was recorder{H2142}{(H8688)}:

25 And Sheva{H7864}{(H8675)}{H7724} was scribe{H5608}{(H8802)}: and Zadok{H6659} and Abiathar{H54} were the priests{H3548}:

26 And Ira{H5896} also the Jairite{H2972} was a chief ruler{H3548} about David{H1732}.