1And there was a transgressor so called there, and his name was Sheba, a Benjaminite, the son of Bichri: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse: to thy tents, O Israel, every one.

2And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3And 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.

4And the king said to Amasa, Call to me the men of Judah for three days, and do thou be present here.

5And Amasa went to call Judah, and delayed beyond the time which David appointed him.

6And David said to Amasa, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than Absalom: 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.

7And there went out after him Amasa and the men of Joab, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8And they were by the great stone that is in Gibeon: and Amasa 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.

9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? and the right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amasa to kiss him.

10And Amasa 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 Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11And 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?

12And Amasa was weltering in blood in the midst of the way. And a man saw that all the people stood still; and he removed Amasa out of the path into a field, and he cast a garment upon him, because he saw everyone that came to him standing still.

13And when he was quickly removed from the road, every man of Israel passed after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maacah; and all in Charri too were assembled, and followed after him.

15And they came and besieged him in Abel and Beth-maacah: 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.

16And 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.

17And 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.

18And 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.

19I 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 the Lord?

20And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin or destroy.

21Is not the case thus, that a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri 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.

22And 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 Sheba the son of Bichri; 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.

23And Joab was over all the forces of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites.

24And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

25And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

26Moreover Ira the son of Jair was priest to David.