⁶ And David said to ^(A)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; ^(B)take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.” ⁷ So Joab’s men went out after him, ^(C)along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; and they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. ⁸ When they were at the large stone which is in ^(D)Gibeon, Amasa came ^[a]to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it he had a belt with a sword in its sheath strapped on at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out. ⁹ And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it going well for you, my brother?” And ^(E)Joab took hold of Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

Amasa Murdered

¹⁰ But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand, so ^(F)he struck him in the belly with it and spilled out his intestines on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.