2 Kingdoms 20

1There happened to be there a rebel whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet and said, “We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel!”

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2So every man of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, clung to their king.

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3Now David entered his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them under guard and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

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4And the king said to Amasa, 'Within three days, call the men of Judah for me, and be present here yourself.'

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5So Amasa went to call for the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the time set by David, who appointed him.

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6And David said to Abishai, 'Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants with you and pursue him so that he does not fortify cities for himself and escape from our sight.'

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7So Joab's men with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men went out after him. They went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

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8When they reached the large stone in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor, and on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips. Then the sword came out and fell to the ground.

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9Then Joab said to Amasa, 'Are you healthy, brother?' And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

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10But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground. He did not strike him again, and he died.

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11Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. Meanwhile one of Joab's servants stood near him and said, 'Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!'

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12But Amasa was soaked in his blood in the middle of the road. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa from the path onto the field. He threw a garment over him because he saw that everyone halted who came upon him.

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13And when he was removed from the road, all the people followed after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

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14And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah, and all the Charrites. So they joined together and went after Sheba.

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15They then came and besieged Sheba in Abel and Beth Maachah. And they raised a siege mound against the city and stood by the rampart. And all the people with Joab considered pulling down the wall.

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16Then a wise woman cried out from the wall, 'Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come near, and I will speak with him.'

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17When he came near to her, the woman said, 'Are you Joab?' He answered, 'I am.' Then she said to him, 'Hear the words of your handmaid.' And he replied, 'I am listening.'

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18So she spoke, saying, 'In former times they used to say, 'They asked at Abel and in Dan whether the things established by the faithful of Israel failed, and they will ask in Abel whether they failed.'

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19I am among the peaceable and loyal in Israel. You seek to put a city and a capital in Israel to death. Why are you going to swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?'

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20And Joab answered and said, 'Far be it from me, far be it from me to swallow it up or destroy it!

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21That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, raised his hand against King David. Deliver him only to me, and I will depart from the city.' So the woman said to Joab, 'Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.'

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22Then the woman in her wisdom went to the people and spoke to all the city. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they scattered from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

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23And Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

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24Adoram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

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25Sheva was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;

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26and Ira the Jairite was a priest of David.

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