The Second Book of Samuel

2Sa 20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Be´-li-al, whose name was She´-ba, the son of Bich´-ri, 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.

2Sa 20:2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed She´ba the son of Bich´-ri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2Sa 20:3 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.

2Sa 20:4 Then said the king to Am´-a-sa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

2Sa 20:5 So Am´-a-sa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

2Sa 20:6 And David said to A-bi´-shai, Now shall She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri do us more harm than did Ab´-sa-lom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

2Sa 20:7 And there went out after him Jo´ab’s men, and the Cher´-e-thites, and the Pel´-e-thites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri.

2Sa 20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gib´-e-on, Am´-a-sa went before them. And Joab’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.

2Sa 20:9 And Jo´-ab said to Am´-a-sa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Jo´ab took Am´-a-sa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

2Sa 20:10 But Am´-a-sa took no heed to 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 A-bi´-shai his brother pursued after She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri.

2Sa 20:11 And one of Jo´-ab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Jo´ab, and he that is for David, let him go after Jo´-ab.

2Sa 20:12 And Am´-a-sa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Am´-a-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.

2Sa 20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Jo´-ab, to pursue after She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri.

2Sa 20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth– ma´-a-chah, and all the Be´-rites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

2Sa 20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth–ma´-a-chah, 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.

2Sa 20:16 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.

2Sa 20:17 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.

2Sa 20:18 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.

2Sa 20:19 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?

2Sa 20:20 And Jo´-ab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

2Sa 20:21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount E´-phra-im, She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri 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.

2Sa 20:22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of She´-ba the son of Bich´-ri, 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.

2Sa 20:23 Now Jo´-ab was over all the host of Israel: and Be-nai´-ah the son of Je-hoi´-a-da was over the Cher´-ethites and over the Pel´-e-thites:

2Sa 20:24 And A-do´-ram was over the tribute: and Je-hosh´-a-phat the son of A-hi´-lud was recorder:

2Sa 20:25 And She´-va was scribe: and Za´dok and A-bi´-a-thar were the priests:

2Sa 20:26 And I´-ra also the Ja´-ir-ite was a chief ruler about David.