1And there happened7122 to be there a man376 of Belial1100, whose name8034 was Sheba7652, the son1121 of Bichri1075, a Benjamite1145: and he blew8628 a trumpet7782, and said559, We have no part2506 in David1732, neither have we inheritance5159 in the son1121 of Jesse3448: every376 man376 to his tents168, O Israel3478.
2So every man376 of Israel3478 went up5927 from after310 David1732, and followed310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075: but the men376 of Judah3063 clave1692 unto their king4428, from Jordan3383 even to Jerusalem3389.
3And David1732 came935 to his house1004 at Jerusalem3389; and the king4428 took3947 the ten6235 women802 his concubines6370, whom he had left3240 to keep8104 the house1004, and put5414 them in ward4931, and fed3557 them, but went not in935 unto them. So they were shut up6887 unto the day3117 of their death4191, living2424 in widowhood491.
4Then said559 the king4428 to Amasa6021, Assemble2199 me the men376 of Judah3063 within three7969 days3117, and be thou here present5975.
5So Amasa6021 went3212 to assemble2199 the men of Judah3063: but he tarried longer309 3186 than the set time4150 which he had appointed3259 him.
6And David1732 said559 to Abishai52, Now shall Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075 do us more harm3415 than did Absalom53: take3947 thou thy lord's113 servants5650, and pursue7291 after310 him, lest he get4672 him fenced1219 cities5892, and escape5337 us5869.
7And there went out3318 after310 him Joab's3097 men582, and the Cherethites3774, and the Pelethites6432, and all the mighty men1368: and they went out3318 of Jerusalem3389, to pursue7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075.
8When they were at the great1419 stone68 which is in Gibeon1391, Amasa6021 went935 before6440 them. And Joab's3097 garment4055 that he had put on3830 was girded2296 unto him, and upon it a girdle2289 with a sword2719 fastened6775 upon his loins4975 in the sheath8593 thereof; and as he went forth3318 it fell out5307.
9And Joab3097 said559 to Amasa6021, Art thou in health7965, my brother251? And Joab3097 took270 Amasa6021 by the beard2206 with the right3225 hand3027 to kiss5401 him.
10But Amasa6021 took no heed8104 to the sword2719 that was in Joab's3097 hand3027: so he smote5221 him therewith in the fifth2570 rib, and shed out8210 his bowels4578 to the ground776, and struck him not again8138; and he died4191. So Joab3097 and Abishai52 his brother251 pursued7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075.
11And one376 of Joab's3097 men5288 stood5975 by him, and said559, He4310 that favoureth2654 Joab3097, and he that is for David1732, let him go after310 Joab3097.
12And Amasa6021 wallowed1556 in blood1818 in the midst8432 of the highway4546. And when the man376 saw7200 that all the people5971 stood still5975, he removed5437 Amasa6021 out of the highway4546 into the field7704, and cast7993 a cloth899 upon him, when he saw7200 that every one that came935 by him stood still5975.
13When he was removed3014 out of the highway4546, all the people376 went on5674 after310 Joab3097, to pursue7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075.
14And he went5674 through all the tribes7626 of Israel3478 unto Abel59, and to Bethmaachah1038, and all the Berites1276: and they were gathered together6950 7035, and went935 also after310 him.
15And they came935 and besieged6696 him in Abel59 of Bethmaachah1038, and they cast up8210 a bank5550 against the city5892, and it stood5975 in the trench2426: and all the people5971 that were with Joab3097 battered7843 the wall2346, to throw it down5307.
16Then cried7121 a wise2450 woman802 out of the city5892, Hear8085, hear8085; say559, I pray you, unto Joab3097, Come near7126 hither, that I may speak1696 with thee.
17And when he was come near7126 unto her, the woman802 said559, Art thou Joab3097? And he answered559, I am he. Then she said559 unto him, Hear8085 the words1697 of thine handmaid519. And he answered559, I do hear8085.
18Then she spake559, saying559, They were wont1696 to speak1696 in old time7223, saying559, They shall surely7592 ask7592 counsel at Abel59: and so they ended8552 the matter.
19I am one of them that are peaceable7999 and faithful539 in Israel3478: thou seekest1245 to destroy4191 a city5892 and a mother517 in Israel3478: why wilt thou swallow up1104 the inheritance5159 of the LORD3068?
20And Joab3097 answered6030 and said559, Far be it2486, far be it2486 from me, that I should swallow up1104 or destroy7843.
21The matter1697 is not so: but a man376 of mount2022 Ephraim669, Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075 by name8034, hath lifted up5375 his hand3027 against the king4428, even against David1732: deliver5414 him only, and I will depart3212 from the city5892. And the woman802 said559 unto Joab3097, Behold, his head7218 shall be thrown7993 to thee over1157 the wall2346.
22Then the woman802 went935 unto all the people5971 in her wisdom2451. And they cut off3772 the head7218 of Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075, and cast7993 it out to Joab3097. And he blew8628 a trumpet7782, and they retired6327 from the city5892, every man376 to his tent168. And Joab3097 returned7725 to Jerusalem3389 unto the king4428.
23Now Joab3097 was over all the host6635 of Israel3478: and Benaiah1141 the son1121 of Jehoiada3077 was over the Cherethites3774 3746 and over the Pelethites6432:
24And Adoram151 was over the tribute4522: and Jehoshaphat3092 the son1121 of Ahilud286 was recorder2142:
25And Sheva7864 7724 was scribe5608: and Zadok6659 and Abiathar54 were the priests3548:
26And Ira5896 also the Jairite2972 was a chief ruler3548 about David1732.