2Samuel:20

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* And there happened to be there a man of Belial named Sheba , the son of Bichri , a Benjamite . And he blew a ram 's horn and said , We have no part in David , neither do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse . Every man to his tents , O , Israel ! * And every man of Israel went up from after David , following Sheba the son of Bichri . But the men of Judah clung to their king , from Jordan even to Jerusalem . * 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 did not go in to them . And they were shut up till the day of their death , living in widowhood . * And the king said to Amasa , gather to me the men of Judah [within ] three days , and you be present here . * And Amasa went to gather Judah . But he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him . * And David said to Abishai , And Sheba the son of Bichri shall do us more harm than Absalom . You take your lord 's servants and pursue him , lest he get himself into fortified cities and escape us . * And Joab 's men went out after him , and the Cherethites , and the Pelethites , and all the mighty men . And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri . * They [were ] at the great stone which [is ] in Gibeon , and Amasa had gone before them . And Joab was girded [with ] his war-coat as his clothing . And upon it was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins , in its sheath . And as he went forth , it fell out . * And Joab said to Amasa , [Are ] you well , my brother ? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him . * And Amasa was not on guard against the sword that [was ] in Joab 's hand . And he struck him with it in the belly , and poured out his bowels to the ground . And [he ] did not strike him again . And he died . And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri . * And one of Joab 's men stood by him and said , He who favors Joab , and he who [is ] for David , [go ] after Joab ! * And Amasa wallowed in blood in the middle of the highway . And the man saw that all the people stood still . And he moved Amasa out of the highway into the field , and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still . * When he was moved out of the highway , all the people went on after Joab , to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri . * And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel , and to Beth-maachah , and to all the Berites . And they were gathered , and went after him too . * And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah . And they threw up a siege-mound against the city . And it stood against the wall . And all the people with Joab were undermining the wall to make it fall . * Then a wise woman cried out of the city , Hear , hear ! Please say to Joab , Come near here so that I may speak with you . * And when he had come near her , the woman said , [Are ] you Joab ? And he answered , I [am ]. And she said to him , Hear the words of your handmaid . And he answered , I hear . * And she spoke , saying , They spoke often in days gone by , saying , Surely they will ask of Abel , and so they ended [the matter ]. * I [am ] peaceable [and ] faithful in Israel . You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel . Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD ? * And Joab answered and said , Far be it , far be it from me , that I should swallow up or destroy . * The matter [is ] not so . But a man of Mount Ephraim , Sheba the son of Bichri by name , has lifted up his hand against the king , against David . Only deliver him , and I will depart from the city . And the woman said to Joab , Behold , his head shall be thrown to you over the wall . * 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 . And he blew the ram 's horn , and they scattered from the city , each man to his tent . And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king . * And Joab [was ] over all the army of Israel . And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was ] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites . * And Adoram [was ] over the tribute . And Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was ] recorder . * And Sheva [was ] scribe . And Zadok and Abiathar [were ] the priests . * And also Ira the Jairite was a chief ruler around David .

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