2 Samuel, 20

1. And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, 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.

1. There happened to be there a base fellow named Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, who sounded the trumpet and said, "We have nothing to do with David. What can we expect from the son of Jesse? Go back, O Israelites, each man to his home!"

2. So every man of Israel went up from after David, [and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2. So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. The men of Judah, however, steadfastly followed their king from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

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.

3. When David reached his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines whom he had left to keep the palace and put them under guard. He provided for them but had no relations with them. So they were secluded until the day of their death and lived like widows.

4. Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

4. The king said to Amasa, "Assemble all the men of Judah within three days; then come here to me."

5. So Amasa went to assemble [the men of] Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

5. So Amasa left to summon the men of Judah but he failed to show up at the appointed time.

6. And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

6. David then said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bichri, will do us more harm than Absalom. Take my guards and pursue him lest he flee to any fortified city and escape from us."

7. And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

7. So Abishai, with the men of Joab, the Cherethites, Pelethites and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri.

8. When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in Gibeon, Amasa 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.

8. When they reached the big stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing over his tunic a belt with a sheathed sword. The sword slipped out.

9. And Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

9. Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" And he held Amasa's beard with his right hand as if to embrace him.

10. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that [was] in Joab'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 Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

10. Amasa did not notice the sword which he held until Joab stabbed him, shedding his entrails to the ground. Amasa died on the spot without need of a second thrust. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba, son of Bichri.

11. And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.

11. Meantime, one of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, "Let him who is for Joab and stands by David follow Joab."

12. And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa 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.

12. Amasa then lay bathed in his blood, lying on the highway. When the man saw the people stopping to look, he carried Amasa from the highway into the field and covered him with a garment.

13. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

13. When he was removed from the highway, the people followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bichri.

14. And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

14. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel and entered Abel of Bethmaacah with all his allies who had assembled to follow him.

15. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that [were] with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

15. Joab's men came and attacked him in Abel of Bethmaacah. They set up a mound against the city, and all the men of Joab dug under the wall to throw it down.

16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

16. Then a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here that I may speak to him."

17. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

17. As Joab approached, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am."

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].

18. The woman continued, "They used to say in olden days to settle a matter, 'Seek advice at Abel if you want to know the ancient customs

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?

19. of the faithful of Israel.' And you want to destroy a city which is a mother city in Israel. Why do you want to destroy the heritage of Yahweh?"

20. And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

20. Joab answered, "By no means do I want to destroy it!

21. The matter [is] not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri 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 Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

21. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba, son of Bichri, has rebelled against King David. Only surrender him and I will withdraw from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "We shall throw his head over the wall to you."

22. Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast [it] out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

22. The woman then gathered the inhabitants and spoke to them so persuasively that they beheaded Sheba, son of Bichri, and threw his head out to Joab who then sounded the trumpet for the people to depart from the city. Then everyone went home and Joab himself returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23. Now Joab [was] over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

23. Joab was in command of all the army of Israel while Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites.

24. And Adoram [was] over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder:

24. Adoram was in charge of the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the recorder. Sheva was secretary,

25. And Sheva [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:

25. and Zadok and Abiathar were priests,

26. And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

26. and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.