2 Samuel 20
20
Sheba rebels against David
1A troublemaker from the tribe of Benjamin was there. His name was Sheba the son of Bichri, and he blew a trumpet to get everyone's attention. Then he said, “People of Israel, David the son of Jesse doesn't belong to us! Let's go home.”#1 K 12.16; 2 Ch 10.16.
2So they stopped following David and went off with Sheba. But the people of Judah stayed close to David all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
David's ten wives
3David had left ten of his wives in Jerusalem to take care of his palace. But when he came back, he had them taken to another house, and he placed soldiers there to guard them. He gave them whatever they needed, but he never slept with any of them again.#20.3 he…again: Because of what Absalom had done (see 16.21,22). They had to live there for the rest of their lives as if they were widows.#2 S 16.22.
The army goes after Sheba
4David said to Amasa, “Three days from now I want you and all of Judah's army to be here!”
5Amasa started bringing the army together, but it was taking him more than three days. 6So David said to Abishai, “Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom ever did. Take my best soldiers and go after him. We don't want him to take over any walled cities and get away from us.”#20.6 get…us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Joab kills Amasa
7Abishai left Jerusalem to try and capture Sheba. He took along Joab and his soldiers, as well as David's bodyguard#20.7 bodyguard: See the note at 8.18. and best troops. 8They had gone as far as the big rock at Gibeon when Amasa caught up with them. Joab had a dagger strapped around his waist over his military uniform, but it fell out as he started towards Amasa.
9Joab said, “Amasa, my cousin, how are you?” Then Joab took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand, so that he could greet him with a kiss. 10Amasa did not see the dagger in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck it in Amasa's stomach, and his insides spilt out on the ground. Joab only struck him once, but Amasa was dying.
Joab and his brother Abishai went off to chase Sheba. 11One of Joab's soldiers stood by Amasa and shouted, “If any of you like Joab, and if you are for David, then follow Joab!”
12Amasa was still rolling in his own blood in the middle of the road. The soldier who had shouted noticed that everyone who passed by would stop, so he dragged Amasa off the road and covered him with a blanket. 13After this, no one else stopped. They all walked straight past him on their way to help Joab capture Sheba.
Sheba hides out in the town of Abel
14Sheba had gone through all the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All his best soldiers#20.14 best soldiers: One ancient translation; the difficult Hebrew text may mean either “Berites” or “Bichrites”, Sheba's relatives. met him there and followed him into the town.
15Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made an earth ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down.
A wise woman saves the town
16A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall,#20.16 the top of the wall: Or “the town”. “Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!” 17When he came, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
She said, “Please, listen to what I have to say.”
“All right,” he said. “I'll listen.”
18She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.’ The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem. 19We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the LORD's people?”
20Joab answered, “No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town! 21That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone.”
The woman told Joab, “We will throw his head over the wall.”
22She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab.
Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.
Another list of David's officials#20.23 Another list of David's officials: See also the list in 8.16,17.
23Joab was the commander of Israel's entire army.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of David's bodyguard.#20.23 David's bodyguard: See the note at 8.18.
24Adoram#20.24 Adoram: One ancient translation “Adoniram” (see 1 Kings 4.6; 5.14). was in charge of the slave labour force.
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept government records.
25Sheva was the secretary.
Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26Ira from Jair was David's priest.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
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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