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2 Samuel 20
Expanded Bible
2 Samuel 20
Expanded Bible
Sheba Leads Israel Away from David
20 It happened that a ·troublemaker [scoundrel; worthless fellow] named Sheba son of Bicri from the tribe of Benjamin was there. He blew the ·trumpet [ram’s horn] and said:
“We have no ·share [interest; portion] in David!
We have no ·part [inheritance; heritage] in the son of Jesse!
People of Israel, ·let’s go home [L everyone to your tents]!”
2 So all the Israelites ·left [deserted; withdrew from] David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people of Judah ·stayed with [faithfully followed; clung to] their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
3 David came back to his ·palace [L house] in Jerusalem. He had left ten of his ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives; 3:7] there to take care of the ·palace [L house; 16:21–22]. Now he put them in a ·locked [guarded] house. He ·gave them food [provided for them], but he did not ·have sexual relations with [L go in to] them. So they [L were shut up/confined and] lived like widows until they died.
4 The king said to Amasa, “·Tell the men [Mobilize the army] of Judah to meet with me ·in [within] three days, and you must also be here.” 5 So Amasa went to ·call [summon] the men of Judah together, but he ·took more time [delayed longer] than the king had said.
6 David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bicri ·is more dangerous to us than Absalom was [L will do us more harm than Absalom]. Take ·my men [L the servants of your master] and chase him before he finds ·walled [fortified] cities and escapes from ·us [L our sight].” 7 So Joab’s men, the Kerethites and the Pelethites [C foreign mercenaries who served as the king’s bodyguards], and all the ·soldiers [mighty warriors] went with Abishai. They went out from Jerusalem to ·chase [pursue] Sheba son of Bicri.
8 When Joab and the army came to the great rock at Gibeon, Amasa came out to meet them. Joab was wearing his ·uniform [military tunic], and at his waist he wore a belt that held his ·sword [dagger] in its ·case [sheath]. As Joab stepped forward, his ·sword [dagger] fell out of its ·case [sheath]. 9 Joab asked Amasa, “·Brother [C term of endearment, but Amasa is also his cousin], is everything all right with you?” Then with his right hand he took Amasa by the beard to kiss him. 10 Amasa ·was not watching [did not notice; wasn’t on guard against] the ·sword [dagger] in Joab’s hand. So Joab ·pushed the sword into Amasa’s [L struck him in the] stomach, causing Amasa’s insides to ·spill [pour; gush] onto the ground. Joab did not have to stab Amasa again; he was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to ·chase [pursue] Sheba son of Bicri.
11 One of Joab’s young men stood by Amasa’s body and ·said [shouted], “Everyone who ·is for [L favors] Joab and [L is for] David should follow Joab!” 12 Amasa lay in the middle of the road, ·covered with [wallowing in] his own blood. When the young man saw that everyone was ·stopping to look at the body [stopping], he dragged it from the road, laid it in a field, and put a ·cloth [cloak; garment] over it. 13 After Amasa’s body was taken off the road, all the men followed Joab to ·chase [pursue] Sheba son of Bicri.
14 Sheba ·went [traveled; passed] through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah [C a town in the extreme north of Israel]. All the ·Berites [or Bicrites; C Sheba’s own tribe] also came together and followed him. 15 So Joab and his men came to Abel Beth Maacah and ·surrounded [besieged] it. They ·piled dirt up [built a siege ramp] against the city wall, and they began ·hacking at [battering; undermining] the walls to bring them down.
16 But a wise woman shouted out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here. I want to talk to him!”
17 So Joab came near her. She asked him, “Are you Joab?”
He answered, “Yes, I am.”
Then she said, “Listen to ·what I say [L the words of your maidservant].”
Joab said, “I’m listening.”
18 Then the woman said, “In the past people would say, ‘·Ask for advice [Let them inquire] at Abel,’ and the problem would be solved. 19 I am one of the peaceful, ·loyal [faithful] people of Israel. You are trying to destroy ·an important city of [L a city that is a mother in] Israel. Why must you ·destroy what belongs to [L devour/swallow up the inheritance/heritage of] the Lord?”
20 Joab answered, “I would prefer not to ·destroy [L devour; swallow up] or ruin anything! 21 That is not ·what I want [L the case]. But there is a man here from the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim, who is named Sheba son of Bicri. He has ·turned [L lifted his hand] against King David. If you ·bring him to me [hand him over], I will leave the city alone.”
The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown over the wall to you.”
22 Then the woman spoke very wisely to all the people of the city. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and threw it over the wall to Joab. So he blew the ·trumpet [ram’s horn], and the army left the city. Every man returned ·home [L to his tent], and Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
23 Joab was commander of all the army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada led the Kerethites and Pelethites [20:7]. 24 Adoniram was in charge of the ·men who were forced to do hard work [forced/slave labor; or labor force]. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the ·recorder [royal historian]. 25 Sheba was the royal ·secretary [scribe]. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests, 26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
2 Samuel 20
New International Version
2 Samuel 20
New International Version
Sheba Rebels Against David
20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines(D) he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.
4 Then the king said to Amasa,(E) “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
6 David said to Abishai,(F) “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”[a] 7 So Joab’s men and the Kerethites(G) and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
8 While they were at the great rock in Gibeon,(H) Amasa came to meet them. Joab(I) was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.
9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger(J) in Joab’s(K) hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
11 One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt(L) there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,[b](M) who gathered together and followed him. 15 All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.(N) They built a siege ramp(O) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, 16 a wise woman(P) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” 17 He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he answered.
She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
18 She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. 19 We are the peaceful(Q) and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”(R)
20 “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”
The woman said to Joab, “His head(S) will be thrown to you from the wall.”
22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice,(T) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
David’s Officials
23 Joab(U) was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; 24 Adoniram[c](V) was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat(W) son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was secretary; Zadok(X) and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite[d] was David’s priest.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 20:6 Or and do us serious injury
- 2 Samuel 20:14 See Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew Berites.
- 2 Samuel 20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14); Hebrew Adoram
- 2 Samuel 20:26 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 23:38) Ithrite
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