Sheba’s Revolt
1Now a worthless man happened to be there named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. He blew the horn and said, “We have no share in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!” 2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah stayed close to their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem. 3David came to his house in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the house and put them under guard. He provided for them but did not go in to them again. They were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.
The Death of Amasa
4The king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time the king had set for him. 6David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape us.” 7So Joab’s men set out after him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. 8When they reached the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and over it a belt with a sword fastened at his waist in its sheath; as he stepped forward, it fell out. 9Joab said to Amasa, “Are you well, my brother?” And Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab struck him in the belly with it, spilling his insides to the ground. He did not need to strike him twice, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. 11One of Joab’s young men stood over Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12Amasa lay in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged Amasa off the road into a field and threw a cloth over him, because he saw that everyone who came by was stopping. 13Once he had been removed from the road, all the men went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
The Wise Woman of Abel
14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth-maacah, and all the Berites gathered together and followed him as well. 15Joab’s men came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer wall, while all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to bring it down. 16Then a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, so I can speak with you.’” 17So he came near her, and the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he answered. She said to him, “Listen to what your servant has to say.” “I am listening,” he said. 18She said, “In the old days they used to say, ‘Let them ask counsel at Abel’ — and that settled the matter. 19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?” 20Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21That is not the case. A man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bichri has raised his hand against King David. Hand him over alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he sounded the horn, and the men scattered from the city, each to his own tent, while Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
David’s Officials
23Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24Adoram was over the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 25Sheva was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.
