2 Samuel 20 KJVAE

1. And there happened to be there a man of Be´li-al, 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. 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. 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. Then said the king to Ama´sa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

5. So Ama´sa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6. And David said to Ab´ishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Ab´salom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

7. And there went out after him Jo´ab's men, and the Cher´ethites, and the Pel´ethites, 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, Ama´sa went before them. And Jo´ab'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. And Jo´ab said to Ama´sa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Jo´ab took Ama´sa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

10. But Ama´sa took no heed of the sword that was in Jo´ab'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 Jo´ab and Ab´ishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11. And one of Jo´ab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoreth Jo´ab, and he that is for David, let him go after Jo´ab.

12. And Ama´sa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Ama´sa 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. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Jo´ab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14. And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth–ma´achah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

15. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth–ma´achah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Jo´ab battered the wall, to throw it down.

16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Jo´ab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

17. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Jo´ab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

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. 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. And Jo´ab answered and said, 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 mount E´phra-im, 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 Jo´ab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

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 Jo´ab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Jo´ab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

23. Now Jo´ab was over all the host of Israel: and Benai´ah the son of Jehoi´ada was over the Cher´ethites and over the Pel´ethites:

24. and Ado´ram was over the tribute: and Jehosh´aphat the son of Ahi´lud was recorder:

25. and Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abi´athar were the priests:

26. and Ira also the Ja´irite was a chief ruler about David.