(KJV) 2 Samuel 20¹

⥃Sheba’s Rebellion

[1] And there² happened to be there a man³ of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew⁴ a trumpet, and said, We have⁵ no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. [2] So every man⁶ of Israel went up from after David, [and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men⁷ of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan⁸ even to Jerusalem.

[3] [¶]And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women⁹ [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put¹⁰ them in ward¹¹, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut¹² up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood¹³.

[4] Then said the king to Amasa¹⁴, Assemble¹⁵ me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present. [5] So Amasa¹⁶ went to assemble [the men of] Judah: but he tarried¹⁷ longer than the set time which he had appointed him. [6] And David said to Abishai¹⁸, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us¹⁹ more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy lord’s²⁰ servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us²¹. [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.²² [8] When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in Gibeon²³, Amasa²⁴ 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. [9] And Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou²⁵ in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa²⁶ by the beard with the right hand to kiss him²⁷. [10] But Amasa took no heed to the sword that [was] in Joab’s²⁸ hand: so he smote²⁹ him therewith in the fifth [rib], and shed³⁰ out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again³¹; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. [11] And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that³² favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David³³, [let him go] after 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.³⁴ [13] When he was removed out of the highway³⁵, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

[14] And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel³⁶, and to Beth–maachah, and all the Berites³⁷: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. [15] And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth–maachah, and they cast up³⁸ a bank³⁹ against the city, and it stood in the trench⁴⁰: and all the people that [were] with Joab battered⁴¹ 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.⁴² [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 words⁴³ of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. [18] Then she spake, saying, They were wont⁴⁴ to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter]. [19] I [am one of them that are] peaceable⁴⁵ [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother⁴⁶ in Israel: why wilt thou swallow⁴⁷ up the inheritance⁴⁸ of the Lord? [20] And Joab answered and said, Far be it⁴⁹, far be it from me, that I should⁵⁰ swallow up or destroy. [21] The matter [is] not so: but a man⁵¹ of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name⁵², hath lifted⁵³ 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 head⁵⁴ shall be thrown to thee over the wall. [22] Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom⁵⁵. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast [it] out to Joab. And he blew⁵⁶ a trumpet, and they retired⁵⁷ from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab⁵⁸ returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

[23] Now Joab⁵⁹ [was] over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah⁶⁰ the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: [24] And Adoram⁶¹ [was] over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder⁶²: [25] And Sheva⁶³ [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests: [26] And Ira⁶⁴ also the Jairite⁶⁵ was a chief ruler⁶⁶ about David.