1 And there8033 happened7122 to be there a man376 of Belial,1100 whose name8034 was Sheba,7652 the son1121 of Bichri,1075 a Benjamite:1145 and he blew8628 a trumpet,7782 and said,559 We have no369 part2506 in David,1732 neither3808 have we inheritance5159 in the son1121 of Jesse:3448 every man376 to his tents,168 O Israel.3478

2 So every3605 man376 of Israel3478 went up5927 from after4480 310 David,1732 and followed310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri:1075 but the men376 of Judah3063 cleaved1692 unto their king,4428 from4480 Jordan3383 even to5704 Jerusalem.3389

3 And David1732 came935 to413 his house1004 at Jerusalem;3389 and the king4428 took3947 853 the ten6235 women802 his concubines,6370 whom834 he had left5117 to keep8104 the house,1004 and put5414 them in ward,1004 4931 and fed3557 them, but went935 not3808 in unto413 them. So they were1961 shut up6887 unto5704 the day3117 of their death,4191 living2424 in widowhood.491

4 Then said559 the king4428 to413 Amasa,6021 Assemble2199 me853 the men376 of Judah3063 within three7969 days,3117 and be thou859 here6311 present.5975

5 So Amasa6021 went1980 to assemble2199 the men of853 Judah:3063 but he tarried longer3186 than4480 the set time4150 which834 he had appointed3259 him.

6 And David1732 said559 to413 Abishai,52 Now6258 shall Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075 do us more harm3415 than4480 did Absalom:53 take3947 thou859 853 thy lord's113 servants,5650 and pursue7291 after310 him, lest6435 he get4672 him fenced1219 cities,5892 and escape5337 5869 us.

7 And there went out3318 after310 him Joab's3097 men,376 and the Cherethites,3774 and the Pelethites,6432 and all3605 the mighty men:1368 and they went out3318 of Jerusalem,4480 3389 to pursue7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri.1075

8 When they1992 were at5973 the great1419 stone68 which834 is in Gibeon,1391 Amasa6021 went935 before6440 them. And Joab's3097 garment4055 that he had put on3830 was girded2296 unto5921 him, and upon5921 it a girdle2289 with a sword2719 fastened6775 upon5921 his loins4975 in the sheath8593 thereof; and as he1931 went forth3318 it fell out.5307

9 And Joab3097 said559 to Amasa,6021 Art thou859 in health,7965 my brother?251 And Joab3097 took270 Amasa6021 by the beard2206 with the right3225 hand3027 to kiss5401 him.

10 But Amasa6021 took no3808 heed8104 to the sword2719 that834 was in Joab's3097 hand:3027 so he smote5221 him therewith in413 the fifth2570 rib, and shed out8210 his bowels4578 to the ground,776 and struck8138 him not3808 again; and he died.4191 So Joab3097 and Abishai52 his brother251 pursued7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri.1075

11 And one376 of Joab's men4480 5288 3097 stood5975 by5921 him, and said,559 He4310 that834 favoreth2654 Joab,3097 and he4310 that834 is for David,1732 let him go after310 Joab.3097

12 And Amasa6021 wallowed1556 in blood1818 in the midst8432 of the highway.4546 And when the man376 saw7200 that3588 all3605 the people5971 stood still,5975 he removed5437 853 Amasa6021 out of4480 the highway4546 into the field,7704 and cast7993 a cloth899 upon5921 him, when834 he saw7200 that every3605 one that came935 by5921 him stood still.5975

13 When834 he was removed3014 out of4480 the highway,4546 all3605 the people376 went on5674 after310 Joab,3097 to pursue7291 after310 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri.1075

14 And he went through5674 all3605 the tribes7626 of Israel3478 unto Abel,59 and to Beth-maachah,1038 and all3605 the Berites:1276 and they were gathered together,7035 and went935 also637 after310 him.

15 And they came935 and besieged6696 5921 him in Abel of Beth-maachah,62 and they cast up8210 a bank5550 against413 the city,5892 and it stood5975 in the trench:2426 and all3605 the people5971 that834 were with854 Joab3097 battered7843 the wall,2346 to throw it down.5307

16 Then cried7121 a wise2450 woman802 out of4480 the city,5892 Hear,8085 hear;8085 say,559 I pray you,4994 unto413 Joab,3097 Come near7126 hither,5704 2008 that I may speak1696 with413 thee.

17 And when he was come near7126 unto413 her, the woman802 said,559 Art thou859 Joab?3097 And he answered,559 I589 am he. Then she said559 unto him Hear8085 the words1697 of thine handmaid.519 And he answered,559 I595 do hear.8085

18 Then she spoke,559 saying,559 They were wont1696 to speak1696 in old time,7223 saying,559 They shall surely ask7592 7592 counsel at Abel:59 and so3651 they ended8552 the matter.

19 I595 am one of them that are peaceable7999 and faithful539 in Israel:3478 thou859 seekest1245 to destroy4191 a city5892 and a mother517 in Israel:3478 why4100 wilt thou swallow up1104 the inheritance5159 of the LORD?3068

20 And Joab3097 answered6030 and said,559 Far be it,2486 far be it2486 from me, that518 I should swallow up1104 or518 destroy.7843

21 The matter1697 is not3808 so:3651 but3588 a man376 of mount4480 2022 Ephraim,669 Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri1075 by name,8034 hath lifted up5375 his hand3027 against the king,4428 even against David:1732 deliver5414 him only,905 and I will depart1980 from4480 5921 the city.5892 And the woman802 said559 unto413 Joab,3097 Behold,2009 his head7218 shall be thrown7993 to413 thee over1157 the wall.2346

22 Then the woman802 went935 unto413 all3605 the people5971 in her wisdom.2451 And they cut off3772 853 the head7218 of Sheba7652 the son1121 of Bichri,1075 and cast it out7993 to413 Joab.3097 And he blew8628 a trumpet,7782 and they retired6327 from4480 5921 the city,5892 every man376 to his tent.168 And Joab3097 returned7725 to Jerusalem3389 unto413 the king.4428

23 Now Joab3097 was over413 all3605 the host6635 of Israel:3478 and Benaiah1141 the son1121 of Jehoiada3077 was over5921 the Cherethites3774 and over5921 the Pelethites: 6432

24 And Adoram151 was over5921 the tribute:4522 and Jehoshaphat3092 the son1121 of Ahilud286 was recorder: 2142

25 And Sheva7724 was scribe:5608 and Zadok6659 and Abiathar54 were the priests: 3548

26 And Ira5896 also1571 the Jairite2972 was1961 a chief ruler3548 about David.1732