1 And there happened|strong="H7122" to be there a man|strong="H0376" of Belial|strong="H1100", whose name|strong="H8034" was Sheba|strong="H7652", the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075", a Benjamite|strong="H1145": and he blew|strong="H8628" a trumpet|strong="H7782", and said|strong="H0559", We have no part|strong="H2506" in David|strong="H1732", neither have we inheritance|strong="H5159" in the son|strong="H1121" of Jesse|strong="H3448": every|strong="H0376" man|strong="H0376" to his tents|strong="H0168", O Israel|strong="H3478".
2 So every man|strong="H0376" of Israel|strong="H3478" went up|strong="H5927" from after|strong="H0310" David|strong="H1732", and followed|strong="H0310" Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075": but the men|strong="H0376" of Judah|strong="H3063" clave|strong="H1692" unto their king|strong="H4428", from Jordan|strong="H3383" even to Jerusalem|strong="H3389".
3 And David|strong="H1732" came|strong="H0935" to his house|strong="H1004" at Jerusalem|strong="H3389"; and the king|strong="H4428" took|strong="H3947" the ten|strong="H6235" women|strong="H0802" his concubines|strong="H6370", whom he had left|strong="H3240" to keep|strong="H8104" the house|strong="H1004", and put|strong="H5414" them in ward|strong="H4931", and fed|strong="H3557" them, but went not in|strong="H0935" unto them. So they were shut up|strong="H6887" unto the day|strong="H3117" of their death|strong="H4191", living|strong="H2424" in widowhood|strong="H0491".
4 Then said|strong="H0559" the king|strong="H4428" to Amasa|strong="H6021", Assemble|strong="H2199" me the men|strong="H0376" of Judah|strong="H3063" within three|strong="H7969" days|strong="H3117", and be thou here present|strong="H5975".
5 So Amasa|strong="H6021" went|strong="H3212" to assemble|strong="H2199" the men of Judah|strong="H3063": but he tarried longer|strong="H0309" than the set time|strong="H4150" which he had appointed|strong="H3259" him.
6 And David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559" to Abishai|strong="H0052", Now shall Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075" do us more harm|strong="H3415" than did Absalom|strong="H0053": take|strong="H3947" thou thy lord’s|strong="H0113" servants|strong="H5650", and pursue|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" him, lest he get|strong="H4672" him fenced|strong="H1219" cities|strong="H5892", and escape|strong="H5337" us|strong="H5869".
7 And there went out|strong="H3318" after|strong="H0310" him Joab’s|strong="H3097" men|strong="H0582", and the Cherethites|strong="H3774", and the Pelethites|strong="H6432", and all the mighty men|strong="H1368": and they went out|strong="H3318" of Jerusalem|strong="H3389", to pursue|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075".
8 When they were at the great|strong="H1419" stone|strong="H0068" which is in Gibeon|strong="H1391", Amasa|strong="H6021" went|strong="H0935" before|strong="H6440" them. And Joab’s|strong="H3097" garment|strong="H4055" that he had put on|strong="H3830" was girded|strong="H2296" unto him, and upon it a girdle|strong="H2289" with a sword|strong="H2719" fastened|strong="H6775" upon his loins|strong="H4975" in the sheath|strong="H8593" thereof; and as he went forth|strong="H3318" it fell out|strong="H5307".
9 And Joab|strong="H3097" said|strong="H0559" to Amasa|strong="H6021", Art thou in health|strong="H7965", my brother|strong="H0251"? And Joab|strong="H3097" took|strong="H0270" Amasa|strong="H6021" by the beard|strong="H2206" with the right|strong="H3225" hand|strong="H3027" to kiss|strong="H5401" him.
10 But Amasa|strong="H6021" took no heed|strong="H8104" to the sword|strong="H2719" that was in Joab’s|strong="H3097" hand|strong="H3027": so he smote|strong="H5221" him therewith in the fifth|strong="H2570" rib, and shed out|strong="H8210" his bowels|strong="H4578" to the ground|strong="H0776", and struck him not again|strong="H8138"; and he died|strong="H4191". So Joab|strong="H3097" and Abishai|strong="H0052" his brother|strong="H0251" pursued|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075".
11 And one|strong="H0376" of Joab’s|strong="H3097" men|strong="H5288" stood|strong="H5975" by him, and said|strong="H0559", He|strong="H4310" that favoureth|strong="H2654" Joab|strong="H3097", and he that is for David|strong="H1732", let him go after|strong="H0310" Joab|strong="H3097".
12 And Amasa|strong="H6021" wallowed|strong="H1556" in blood|strong="H1818" in the midst|strong="H8432" of the highway|strong="H4546". And when the man|strong="H0376" saw|strong="H7200" that all the people|strong="H5971" stood still|strong="H5975", he removed|strong="H5437" Amasa|strong="H6021" out of the highway|strong="H4546" into the field|strong="H7704", and cast|strong="H7993" a cloth|strong="H0899" upon him, when he saw|strong="H7200" that every one that came|strong="H0935" by him stood still|strong="H5975".
13 When he was removed|strong="H3014" out of the highway|strong="H4546", all the people|strong="H0376" went on|strong="H5674" after|strong="H0310" Joab|strong="H3097", to pursue|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075".
14 And he went|strong="H5674" through all the tribes|strong="H7626" of Israel|strong="H3478" unto Abel|strong="H0059", and to Beth-maachah|strong="H1038", and all the Berites|strong="H1276": and they were gathered together|strong="H6950", and went|strong="H0935" also after|strong="H0310" him.
15 And they came|strong="H0935" and besieged|strong="H6696" him in Abel|strong="H0059" of Beth-maachah|strong="H1038", and they cast up|strong="H8210" a bank|strong="H5550" against the city|strong="H5892", and it stood|strong="H5975" in the trench|strong="H2426": and all the people|strong="H5971" that were with Joab|strong="H3097" battered|strong="H7843" the wall|strong="H2346", to throw it down|strong="H5307".
16 Then cried|strong="H7121" a wise|strong="H2450" woman|strong="H0802" out of the city|strong="H5892", Hear|strong="H8085", hear|strong="H8085"; say|strong="H0559", I pray you, unto Joab|strong="H3097", Come near|strong="H7126" hither, that I may speak|strong="H1696" with thee.
17 And when he was come near|strong="H7126" unto her, the woman|strong="H0802" said|strong="H0559", Art thou Joab|strong="H3097"? And he answered|strong="H0559", I am he. Then she said|strong="H0559" unto him, Hear|strong="H8085" the words|strong="H1697" of thine handmaid|strong="H0519". And he answered|strong="H0559", I do hear|strong="H8085".
18 Then she spake|strong="H0559", saying|strong="H0559", They were wont|strong="H1696" to speak|strong="H1696" in old time|strong="H7223", saying|strong="H0559", They shall surely|strong="H7592" ask|strong="H7592" counsel at Abel|strong="H0059": and so they ended|strong="H8552" the matter.
19 I am one of them that are peaceable|strong="H7999" and faithful|strong="H0539" in Israel|strong="H3478": thou seekest|strong="H1245" to destroy|strong="H4191" a city|strong="H5892" and a mother|strong="H0517" in Israel|strong="H3478": why wilt thou swallow up|strong="H1104" the inheritance|strong="H5159" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*?
20 And Joab|strong="H3097" answered|strong="H6030" and said|strong="H0559", Far be it|strong="H2486", far be it|strong="H2486" from me, that I should swallow up|strong="H1104" or destroy|strong="H7843".
21 The matter|strong="H1697" is not so: but a man|strong="H0376" of mount|strong="H2022" Ephraim|strong="H0669", Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075" by name|strong="H8034", hath lifted up|strong="H5375" his hand|strong="H3027" against the king|strong="H4428", even against David|strong="H1732": deliver|strong="H5414" him only, and I will depart|strong="H3212" from the city|strong="H5892". And the woman|strong="H0802" said|strong="H0559" unto Joab|strong="H3097", Behold, his head|strong="H7218" shall be thrown|strong="H7993" to thee over|strong="H1157" the wall|strong="H2346".
22 Then the woman|strong="H0802" went|strong="H0935" unto all the people|strong="H5971" in her wisdom|strong="H2451". And they cut off|strong="H3772" the head|strong="H7218" of Sheba|strong="H7652" the son|strong="H1121" of Bichri|strong="H1075", and cast|strong="H7993" it out to Joab|strong="H3097". And he blew|strong="H8628" a trumpet|strong="H7782", and they retired|strong="H6327" from the city|strong="H5892", every man|strong="H0376" to his tent|strong="H0168". And Joab|strong="H3097" returned|strong="H7725" to Jerusalem|strong="H3389" unto the king|strong="H4428".
23 Now Joab|strong="H3097" was over all the host|strong="H6635" of Israel|strong="H3478": and Benaiah|strong="H1141" the son|strong="H1121" of Jehoiada|strong="H3077" was over the Cherethites|strong="H3774" and over the Pelethites|strong="H6432":
24 And Adoram|strong="H0151" was over the tribute|strong="H4522": and Jehoshaphat|strong="H3092" the son|strong="H1121" of Ahilud|strong="H0286" was recorder|strong="H2142":
25 And Sheva|strong="H7864" was scribe|strong="H5608": and Zadok|strong="H6659" and Abiathar|strong="H0054" were the priests|strong="H3548":
26 And Ira|strong="H5896" also the Jairite|strong="H2972" was a chief ruler|strong="H3548" about David|strong="H1732".