Now a troublemaker named Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and declared, "We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse's son. Every man to his tent, Israel!"

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.

So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba, son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed loyal to their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.

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.

When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the house and placed them in confinement, providing for them but no longer going to them. They remained confined like widows until the day of their death.

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.

Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and you must be here as well."

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

But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

So David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba, son of Bichri, will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants and pursue him quickly, or he may find fortified cities and escape from us."

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.

Joab's men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty warriors, marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

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.

When they were at the large stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it, at his waist, was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it fell out.

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.

Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

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.

Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach. His intestines spilled to the ground, and he died without Joab striking him again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

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.

One of Joab's men stood by Amasa and said, "Whoever is loyal to Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!"

And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the troops stopped, he dragged Amasa from the road into a field and threw a garment over him because everyone who came by stopped.

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.

After he was removed from the road, everyone continued on after Joab to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri.

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

Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah, and all the Berites assembled and followed him.

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.

Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the city and stood against the outer rampart. As they worked to breach the wall,

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.

a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him."

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.

When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. She said, "Listen to what your servant has to say." "I’m listening," he said.

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.

She continued, "In the past, people said, 'Seek advice in Abel,' and that is how matters were settled.

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.

I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to devour the LORD's inheritance?"

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 the LORD?

Joab replied, "Far be it from me to devour or destroy the city!

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

That is not the case. A man named Sheba, son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has raised his hand against King David. Hand him over, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown to you from the wall."

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.

Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. He blew the horn, and the troops dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

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.

Joab was in charge of the entire army of Israel, while Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Cherethites and the Pelethites.

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

Adoram was in charge of the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.

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

Sheva served as the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

Ira the Jairite also served as a priest for David.

And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.