2 Samuel 20

1And there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

1A troublemaker named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He blew a trumpet and shouted, 'We have no share in David and no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man go back to your own tents, Israel!'

2So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2So all the men of Israel left David and followed Sheba son of Bichri. However, the men of Judah stayed loyal to their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

3And 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 provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

3When David arrived at his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the house and put them under guard. He provided for them but never had sexual relations with them again. They were kept in seclusion until the day they died, living like widows.

4Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be thou here present.

4The king said to Amasa, 'Call the men of Judah together for me within three days, and then report back here yourself.'

5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

5So Amasa went to call Judah together, but he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

6And David said to Abishai, Now will 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 fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.

6David said to Abishai, 'Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take my officers and chase after him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.'

7And 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.

7So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the elite soldiers followed Abishai out of Jerusalem to hunt down Sheba son of Bichri.

8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

8While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was wearing his military uniform, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath. As Joab stepped forward, the sword fell out.

9And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

9Joab said to Amasa, 'Is everything alright with you, my brother?' Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

10Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab's other hand. Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. He died without Joab needing to strike him again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued their pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

11And there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.

11One of Joab’s young men stood by the body and said, 'Whoever supports Joab and is for David, follow Joab!'

12And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

12Amasa lay wallowing in his own blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that everyone stopped to look, he dragged Amasa's body from the road into a field and covered it with a cloak.

13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

13Once the body was moved off the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

14And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

14Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and throughout the region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.

15And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

15Joab's army arrived and besieged him in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up against the city's outer wall, and all the soldiers with Joab began battering the wall to knock it down.

16Then 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.

16Then a wise woman shouted from the city, 'Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.'

17And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

17When he came near, she asked, 'Are you Joab?' He answered, 'I am.' She said, 'Listen to what I have to say.' He replied, 'I am listening.'

18Then 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.

18She said, 'Long ago people used to say, "Get your answers at Abel," and that would settle the matter.

19I am 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 Jehovah?

19I representative those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a mother city in Israel. Why do you want to destroy the Lord’s inheritance?'

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

20Joab answered, 'Far be it from me! I have no desire to swallow up or destroy anything.

21The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of 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.

21That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has rebelled against King David. If you hand over this one man, I will withdraw from the city.' The woman said to Joab, 'Alright, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.'

22Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and his men left the city and went home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23Now Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

23Now Joab was in command of Israel’s entire army. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.

24and Adoram was over the men subject to taskwork; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

24Adoniram was in charge of forced labor. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.

25and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

25Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

26and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister unto David.

26And Ira the Jairite was also a personal priest to David.