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          DASV: 2 Samuel 20    

1 Now there was a troublemaker, named Sheba, the son of Bicri,
a Benjaminite. He blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, "We have
no portion in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse.
Every one to his tents, O Israel."
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba
the son of Bicri. But the men of Judah were loyal to
their king, from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

3 When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, the king took
the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace,
and put them in a house under protection, and provided
for them, but did not sleep any longer with them. So they
remained in protective custody until the day of their death,
living like widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah
together to me within three days, and be here yourself."
5 Amasa went to summon Judah, but he waited longer than the
time that had been set for him.
6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bicri will
do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants
and pursue him. Otherwise he will get into fortified cities
and escape from us."
7 Joab's men, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites,
and all the mighty warriors left Jerusalem in pursuit of
Sheba the son of Bicri.

8 When they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them.
Joab was wearing his military gear and over it was a belt with
a sword in its sheath strapped on his waist; and as he went
forward, it fell out.
9 Then Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab
took Amasa by the beard with his right hand as if to kiss him.
10 But Amasa was not on guard against the dagger that was in
Joab's hand. So Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and his insides
spilled out on the ground. He did not need to strike him again,
as he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after
Sheba the son of Bicri.
11 One of Joab's young soldiers stood over Amasa and announced,
"Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow
Joab."
12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road.
When the man saw that all the troops stopped there, he pulled
Amasa off the road into a field, and covered him with a garment.
13 Once Amassa had been removed from the roadway, all the people
went on with Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bicri.

14 Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel coming to Abel
of Beth-maacah, and all the Bekrites assembled, and followed
him into the town.
15 Joab's forces arrived and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah.
They built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against
the rampart. All Joab's troops battered the wall, to knock
it down.
16 Then a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen!
Tell Joab, 'Come over here so that I may speak to you.'"
17 So he came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?"
He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words
of your servant." He replied, "I am listening."
18 Then she said, "They used to say in the old days, 'Let them
inquire for an answer at Abel,' and so that would settle a
matter.
19 I am one of those who are peaceful and faithful in Israel.
You are seeking to destroy a town that is a mother in Israel.
Why do you want to devour the inheritance of the LORD?"
20 Joab answered, "There is no way I want to devour and destroy.
21 That is not the case at all. There is a man from the hill
country of Ephraim, named Sheba the son of Bicri, who has
lifted up his hand against the king David. Hand over this
one man to me and I will leave the town." The woman said
to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown over the wall to you."
22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and
they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw
it out to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet, and they withdrew
from the town, every man returning home, while Joab went
back to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites,
the royal guard;
24 and Adoram was over the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the
son of Ahilud was the court historian;
25 Sheva was the royal scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were
priests;
26 and Ira the Jairite was David's personal priest.

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