20:1 And there was a transgressor [so]
called there, and his name was Sabee, a Benjamite, the son of Bochori: and
he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we
[any] inheritance in the son of Jessae: to thy tents, O Israel, every one.
20:2 And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sabee the
son of Bochori: but the men of Judah adhered to their king, from Jordan even
to Jerusalem.
20:3 And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten
women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in
a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they
were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.
20:4 And the king said to Amessai, Call to me the men of Judah for three
days, and do thou be present here.
20:5 And Amessai went to call Judah, and delayed beyond the time which David
appointed him.
20:6 And David said to Amessai, Now shall Sabee the son of Bochori do us
more harm than Abessalom: now then take thou with thee the servants of thy
lord, and follow after him, lest he find for himself strong cities, so will
he blind our eyes.
20:7 And there went out after him Amessai and the men of Joab, and the
Cherethites, and the Phelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out
from Jerusalem to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.
20:8 And they [were] by the great stone that is in Gabaon: and Amessai went
in before them: and Joab had upon him a military cloak over his apparel, and
over it he was girded with a dagger fastened upon his loins in its scabbard:
and the dagger came out, it even came out and fell.
20:9 And Joab said to Amessai, Art thou in health, [my] brother? and the
right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amessai to kiss him.
20:10 And Amessai observed not the dagger that was in the hand of Joab: and
Joab smote him with it on the loins, and his bowels were shed out upon the
ground, and he did not repeat the blow, and he died: and Joab and Abessai
his brother pursued after Sabee the son of Bochori.
20:11 And there stood over him one of the servants of Joab, and said, Who
[is] he that is for Joab, and who [is] on the side of David following Joab?
20:12 And Amessai [was] weltering in blood in the midst of the way. And a
man saw that all the people stood still; and he removed Amessai out of the
path into a field, and he cast a garment upon him, because he saw every one
that came to him standing still.
20:13 And when he was quickly removed from the road, every man of Israel
passed after Joab to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.
20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Bethmacha;
and all in Charri too were assembled, and followed after him.
20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel and Phermacha: and they raised
a mound against the city and it stood close to the wall; and all the people
with Joab proposed to throw down the wall.
20:16 And a wise woman cried from the wall, and said, Hear, hear; say, I
pray ye, to Joab, Draw near hither, and I will speak to him.
20:17 And he drew nigh to her, and the woman said to him, Art thou Joab? and
he said, I [am]. And she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid; and
Joab said, I do hear.
20:18 And she spoke, saying, Of old time they said thus, Surely one was
asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faithful in Israel failed in what they
purposed; they will surely ask in Abel, even in like manner, whether they
have failed.
20:19 I am a peaceable one of the strong ones in Israel; but thou seekest to
destroy a city and a mother city in Israel: why dost thou seek to ruin the
inheritance of Yehovah?
20:20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I
should ruin or destroy.
20:21 Is not the case thus, that a man of mount Ephraim, Sabee, son of
Bochori by name, has even lifted up his hand against king David? Give him
only to me, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab,
Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
20:22 And the woman went in to all the people, and she spoke to all the city
in her wisdom; and they took off the head of Sabee the son of Bochori; and
took it away and threw it to Joab: and he blew the trumpet, and the people
separated from the city away from him, every man to his tent: and Joab
returned to Jerusalem to the king.
20:23 And Joab [was] over all he forces of Israel: and Banaias the son of
Jodae [was] over the Cherethites and over the Phelethites.
20:24 And Adoniram [was] over the tribute: and Josaphath the son of Achiluth
[was] recorder.
20:25 And Susa [was] scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar [were] priests.
20:26 Moreover Iras the [son of] Iarin was priest to David. |
20:1 And there happened to be there a man of
Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a
trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in
the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
20:2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the
son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even
to Jerusalem.
20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten
women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in
ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the
day of their death, living in widowhood.
20:4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three
days, and be thou here present.
20:5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than
the set time which he had appointed him.
20:6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more
harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him,
lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
20:7 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.
20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa 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.
20:9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took
Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
20:10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he
smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground,
and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother
pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
20:11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab,
and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
20:12 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.
20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after
Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to
Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went
also after him.
20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast
up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people
that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
20:16 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.
20:17 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 words of thine
handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
20:18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying,
They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
20:19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou
seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up
the inheritance of Yehovah?
20:20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I
should swallow up or destroy.
20:21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of
Bichri by name, hath lifted 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 head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
20:22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut
off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he
blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And
Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
20:23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
20:24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder:
20:25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
20:26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David. |