Study Desk

Now, in that place, there happened to be an abandoned man, whose name, was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin, - so he blew a horn, and said - We have no share in David, Nor inheritance have we in the son of Jesse, Every man to his home, O Israel!

Then went up all the men of Israel from following David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, - but, the men of Judah, clave unto their king, from the Jordan, even as far as Jerusalem.

And David entered into his own house, in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and sustained them, but, unto them, went he not in, - so they were shut up until the day of their death, in lifelong widowhood.

Then said the king unto Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah, within three days, - and, thou, here, take thy stand!

So Amasa went, to assemble Judah, - but he tarried beyond the fixed time, which he had appointed him.

Then said David unto Abishai, Now, shall Sheba son of Bichri, do us more harm than Absolom, - thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue him, lest he have got him into fortified cities, and so have escaped our eye.

Then went out after him - the men of Joab, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, - and they went out from Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

When, they, were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa, had arrived before them. Now, Joab, was girded about with his war-coat as his upper garment, and, over it, a girdle with a sword, fastened upon his loins, in the sheath thereof, and, it, came out and fell.

Then said Joab unto Amasa, Art thou, well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, to kiss him.

Amasa not heeding the sword that was in the hand of Joab, he smote him therewith in the belly, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again, and he died. So, Joab and Abishai his brother, pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

Now, a man, stood over him, of the young men of Joab, - and said - Whosoever is well pleased with Joab, and whosoever pertaineth to David, let him follow Joab.

But, Amasa, was wallowing in blood, in the midst of the highway, - and, when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa, out of the highway into the field, and cast over him a garment, as soon as he saw that every man that came up to him stood still.

When he had removed him out of the highway, every man passed on, after Joab, to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

And he passed on throughout all the tribes of Israel, unto Abel and unto Beth-maachah, and all the Berites, - and they were called together, and came in, yea and followed him.

So they came, and laid siege against him, in Abel, Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, so that it stood within a rampart, - and, all the people who were with Joab, were battering the wall to throw it down.

Then cried a wise woman out of the city, - Hear ye! hear ye! I pray you, say unto Joab, Come near hither, and let me speak unto thee.

So he came near unto her, and the woman said, - Art thou Joab? And he said, - I am. And she said unto him, - Hear thou the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I do hear.

Then spake she, saying, - They, used to speak, in former times, saying, Enquire, in Abel! And, so, they ended it.

I, am of the peaceable among the faithful in Israel, - thou, art seeking to put to death a city, and a mother in Israel, wherefore wouldst thou swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?

Then answered Joab and said, - Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.

Not so, is the matter! but, a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David, give up him alone, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Lo! his head, shall be cast unto thee, through the wall.

So the woman came unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it out unto Joab. And he blew with a horn, and they dispersed themselves from the city, every man to his home; but, Joab, returned to Jerusalem unto the king.