Sheba's Rebellion
Study note
The argument between Judah and the northern tribes at the Jordan crossing quickly erupted into open rebellion. A man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the tribe of Benjamin, blew a trumpet and called the northern tribes to abandon David. The northern tribes followed Sheba, while the men of Judah stayed loyal to David.
1 A troublemaker named Sheba son of Bichri, from the tribe of Benjamin, happened to be there. He blew a trumpet and yelled, "We owe nothing to David! Jesse's son is nothing to us! Go home, everyone in 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.
2 All the men of Israel abandoned David and rallied behind Sheba. But the men of Judah remained loyal and stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan back 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.
David Returns to Jerusalem
Study note
When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he confined the ten concubines Absalom had slept with to a house where they were cared for but lived isolated for the rest of their lives. David told Amasa to gather the men of Judah within three days, but Amasa took too long. David then sent Abishai to pursue Sheba before he could establish himself in fortified cities.
3 Back at the palace in Jerusalem, David took the ten concubines he had left behind and placed them in a guarded house. He continued to provide for them, but he never slept with them again. They lived like widows in isolation until they died. 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.
4 The king ordered Amasa, "Assemble the troops of Judah and report back to me within three days." Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
5 Amasa went to rally the men of Judah, but he missed the deadline the king had set. So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6 David told Abishai, "Sheba is going to cause us more damage than Absalom ever did. Take my personal soldiers and go after him before he finds fortified cities to hide in and slips through our fingers." 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.
7 Joab's troops, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the elite soldiers marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba. 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.
Joab Kills Amasa
Study note
When Amasa finally caught up with Joab's forces at the great rock at Gibeon, Joab greeted him as if to kiss him. But Joab secretly held a dagger and stabbed Amasa in the stomach, killing him with a single blow. This was the second time Joab had murdered someone by pretending to greet them peacefully. Joab and Abishai then continued the pursuit of Sheba.
8 Near the great rock at Gibeon, Amasa met up with them. Joab was wearing his military outfit with a dagger strapped to his belt in its sheath. As he walked forward, the dagger slipped 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.
9 Joab greeted Amasa warmly, "How are you doing, brother?" He grabbed Amasa's beard with his right hand as if to give him a friendly kiss. 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.
10 Amasa did not notice the dagger in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed him in the gut, spilling his insides on the ground. He did not need a second blow -- Amasa died instantly. Joab and his brother Abishai then resumed the chase after Sheba. 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.
11 One of Joab's men stood over Amasa's body and shouted, "If you support Joab and stand with David, then 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.
12 Amasa's body lay in the road, soaked in blood. When the soldier saw that every passerby stopped to stare, he pulled the body off the road into a field and covered it with a cloth. 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.
13 Once the body was out of sight, the troops moved on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
The Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah
Study note
Sheba took refuge in the fortified city of Abel Beth Maacah in the far north. Joab's army began building a siege ramp against the city wall. A wise woman from the city called out to Joab, reminding him that Abel was a peaceful city known for its wisdom. She asked why Joab wanted to destroy a city that was part of the Lord's inheritance. Joab said he only wanted Sheba. The woman promised to throw Sheba's head over the wall. She convinced the people of the city, and they cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab. The rebellion was over.
14 Sheba traveled through every tribe in Israel and came to be in the city of Abel Beth Maacah. All his Bichrite relatives gathered and followed him inside. And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
15 Joab's army arrived and surrounded the city. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall and began pounding it to bring it down. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, 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.
16 A wise woman inside the city shouted from the wall, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come over here so I can talk 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.
17 When Joab approached, she asked, "Are you Joab?" He said, "I am." She said, "Hear what I have to say." He replied, "I am listening." 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.
18 She said, "There is an old saying: 'Go to Abel for answers,' and that would settle any question." 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.
19 "Our city is known for being peaceful and loyal in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is like a mother to our nation. Why would you tear apart something that belongs to the Lord?" 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?
20 Joab replied, "I have no desire to swallow up or destroy your city!" And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 "That is not what this is about. A man named Sheba from the hill country of Ephraim has staged a revolt against King David. Hand him over, and I will leave your city alone." The woman called back, "Fine -- his head will be tossed over the wall to you." 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.
22 The woman went to the people with her wise plan. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it down to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and his troops dispersed from the city and went home. Joab returned 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.
David's Officials
Study note
The chapter ends with an updated list of David's government officials. Joab was back in command of the army. Benaiah led the personal bodyguard. Adoram was over forced labor. Jehoshaphat was the recorder. Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. Ira the Jairite was David's personal priest.
23 Joab served as commander over Israel's entire army. Benaiah son of Jehoiada led the Cherethite and Pelethite bodyguards. Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
24 Adoram managed the forced labor crews. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the official recorder. And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:
25 Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar served as priests. And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
26 Ira the Jairite served as David's personal priest. And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.