2 Samuel 20
20
Sheba Rebels Against David
1#1Ki 12:16; Dt 13:13There happened to be a worthless man there whose name was Sheba the son of Bikri, 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.”
2So every man of Israel withdrew from following David and followed after Sheba the son of Bikri, but the men of Judah stayed with their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
3#2Sa 15:16; 16:21–22When 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, 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.
4#2Sa 17:25; 19:13Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon for me the men of Judah in three days, then present yourself here.” 5#1Sa 13:8So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the deadline determined for him.
6#2Sa 11:11; 21:17So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bikri 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.” 7#2Sa 8:18; 1Ki 1:38The men of Joab went out after him, along with the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all of the warriors; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri.
8#2Sa 2:13; 3:30When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab 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. 10#2Sa 2:23; 3:27Amasa 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. He died without being struck a second time. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikri.
11#2Sa 20:13Now one of the young men of Joab stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 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 Bikri.
14#2Ki 15:29He passed through all of the tribes of Israel toward Abel Beth Maakah, also passing by all of the Bikrites. Once assembled, they also came after him. 15#2Ki 19:32; Jer 32:24They came and besieged him in Abel Beth Maakah. They constructed a siege ramp against the city, 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, 16#2Sa 14:2a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Say to Joab, ‘Come closer so that I may speak with you.’ ” 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. 19#1Sa 26:19; 2Sa 21:3I 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?”
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 Bikri 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, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22#2Sa 20:1The woman, with her wisdom, came to all of the people in the city, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikri. 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
23#2Sa 8:16–18Now Joab was over the entire army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites. 24#1Ki 4:3; 12:18Adoniram was over conscripted labor. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary. 25#2Sa 8:17; 1Ki 4:4Sheva was scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26#2Sa 23:38and also Ira the Jairite was priest to David.
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2 Samuel 20: MEV
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