2 Samuel 20
20
Sheba Rebels Against David
1There happened to be a worthless man # Dt 13:13 there whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He sounded the trumpet and said,
“We have no share in David,
nor do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse;
every man to his tents, O Israel.” # 1Ki 12:16
2So every man of Israel withdrew from following David and followed after Sheba the son of Bichri, but the men of Judah stayed with their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
3When the king came to his house in Jerusalem, he took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep watch over the house, # 2Sa 15:16; 16:21–22 and he placed them in custody. He provided for them but did not go in to them. They were shut up until the day of their deaths, living as in widowhood.
4Then the king said to Amasa, # 2Sa 17:25; 19:13 “Summon for me the men of Judah in three days, then present yourself here.” 5So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the deadline determined for him. # 1Sa 13:8
6So David said to Abishai, # 2Sa 21:17 “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will cause more harm for us than Absalom. You take your lord’s servants and pursue after him. Otherwise, he will find fortified cities and escape from our sight.” 7The men of Joab went out after him, along with the Kerethites, the Pelethites, # 2Sa 8:18; 1Ki 1:38 and all of the warriors; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab # 2Sa 2:13; 3:30 was dressed in his battle armor, and fastened on it was a belt with a sword in its sheath at the waist. As he went forward, it fell out.
9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” and he took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in the hand of Joab, and he struck him in the midsection spilling his entrails on the ground. # 2Sa 2:23; 3:27 He died without being struck a second time. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11Now one of the young men of Joab stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” # 2Sa 20:13 12Now Amasa was wallowing in his own blood in the middle of the path. When the man saw that all of the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the path to the field and threw a covering over him, when he observed that everyone who passed by would stop. 13Once he removed him from the path, all of the men passed by, following Joab in pursuit of Sheba the son of Bichri.
14He passed through all of the tribes of Israel toward Abel of Beth-maacah, # 2Ki 15:29 also passing by all of the Bichrites. Once assembled, they also came after him. 15They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They constructed a siege ramp against the city, # 2Ki 19:32; Jer 32:24 standing it against the rampart. As all of the people who were with Joab were battering the city wall in order to bring it down, 16a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Say to Joab, ‘Come closer so that I may speak with you.’ ” # 2Sa 14:2 17When he came near, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”
He said, “I am.”
She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant,” and he said, “I’m listening.”
18She said, “In former times, they would say, ‘Let them inquire carefully in Abel,’ and thus they would resolve an issue. 19I am a trustworthy and faithful one of Israel. You are attempting to destroy a city, even a mother, in Israel. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” # 1Sa 26:19; 2Sa 21:3
20Joab responded, “Far be it, far be it from me to swallow up or destroy. 21That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted his hand against King David. Only deliver him, and I will depart from the city.”
And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22The woman, with her wisdom, came to all of the people in the city, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri. # 2Sa 20:1 When they threw it to Joab, he blew the horn, and they dispersed from the city, each going to his own tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
David’s Officials
23Now Joab was over the entire army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites. # 2Sa 8:16–18 24Adoniram was over conscripted labor. # 1Ki 12:18 Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary. # 1Ki 4:3 25Sheva was scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were priests, # 2Sa 8:17; 1Ki 4:4 26and also Ira the Jairite # 2Sa 23:38 was priest to David.
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2 Samuel 20: MEV
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 20
20
Sheba’s Revolt
1Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram’s horn and shouted:
We have no portion in David,
no inheritance in Jesse’s son.
Each man to his tent,#20:1 Alt Hb tradition reads gods Israel!
2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.#1Kg 12:16–17
3When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard.#2Sm 15:16; 16:21–22 He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
4The king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself.” 5Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him. 6So David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord’s soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”#20:6 Lit and snatch away our eyes
7So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai’s command;#20:7 Lit out following him they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. 8They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. 9Joab asked Amasa, “Are you well, my brother?” Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.#Mt 26:49; Mk 14:45; Lk 22:47 10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died.#1Kg 2:5
Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. 11One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!” 12Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.#2Sm 2:23 13When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites#20:14 LXX, Vg read Bichrites came together and followed him. 15Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp#2Kg 19:32; Is 37:33; Jr 6:6; Ezk 4:2; 26:8 against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.”
17When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he replied.
“Listen to the words of your servant,” she said to him.
He answered, “I’m listening.”
18She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?”
20Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”
The woman replied to Joab, “Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.” 22The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel,#Ec 9:14–15 and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23Joab commanded the whole army of Israel;#2Sm 8:16–18; 1Kg 4:3–6
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
24Adoram#20:24 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read Adoniram; 1Kg 4:6; 5:14 was over forced labor;#1Kg 12:18
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
25Sheva was court secretary;
Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
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