¹ And there happened to be there a man^◦ of Belial, and his name was Sheba^◦, the son of Bichri, a man^◦ of Jemin^*; and he sounded on^◦ the shophar^* and said, We have^◦ no part in David, and we have^◦ not an inheritance in the son of Jesse; each·​·man^◦ to his tent, O Israel.

² And every man^◦ of Israel went·​·up from after David, and went after Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri; but the men^◦ of Judah stuck to their king, from the Jordan even to^◦ Jerusalem.

³ And David came to^▵ his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had placed to keep the house, and put^◦ them in a house of keeping, and sustained them, but came· not ·in to^▵ them. And they were shut·​·in until the day of their death, living in widowhood.

⁴ And the king said to^▵ Amasa, Call·​·up for me the men^◦ of Judah in three days, and stand thou^◦ here.

⁵ And Amasa went to call·​·up Judah, but he delayed beyond the appointed·​·time which he had appointed.

⁶ And David said to^▵ Abishai, Now shall Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri be· more ·evil than Absalom; take thou^◦ servants of thy lord and pursue after him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape our eyes.

⁷ And there went·​·out after him the men^◦ of Joab, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the heroes; and they went·​·forth from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri.

⁸ They^◦ were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, and Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded, his robe, his clothing, and upon it a girdle, with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he^◦ went·​·forth, and it fell out.

⁹ And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou^◦ in peace, my brother? and the right hand of Joab seized upon the beard of Amasa, that he might kiss him.

¹⁰ And Amasa heeded not the sword that was in Joab’s hand, and he smote him with it to^▵ the fifth^*, and spilled·​·out his bowels to^▫ the earth, and he did not repeat^◦ it; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri.

¹¹ And a man^◦ stood by^◦ him of the lads of Joab, and said, Who is he that delights in Joab, and who is he that is for David; let him be after Joab.

¹² But Amasa rolled in blood in the midst of the highway. And the man^◦ saw that all the people stood still, and he brought· Amasa ·around from the highway to the field, and cast a garment upon him, because he saw that all who came upon him stood still.

¹³ When^▵ he was dragged from the highway, all the men^◦ passed·​·on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri.

¹⁴ And he passed·​·through all the tribes^◦ of Israel unto Abel, and Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were assembled and came also^◦ after him.

¹⁵ And they came and besieged him in Abelah-beth-maacah; and they spilled·​·out an embankment^* to^▵ the city, and it stood against^◦ the rampart; and all the people who were with^◦ Joab damaged the wall to make it fall.

¹⁶ And a wise woman called from the city, Hear, Hear! Say, I pray^◦, to^▵ Joab, Come·​·near to^◦ here^◦, and I will speak to^▵ thee.

¹⁷ And he came·​·near unto^▵ her and the woman said, Art thou^◦ Joab? And he said, I^◦ am. And she said unto him, Hear the words of thy maidservant. And he said, I^▵ do Hear.

¹⁸ And she said, saying, Speaking, they spoke in former times, saying, Asking, they shall ask in Abel, and so they finished it.

¹⁹ I^▵ am of the peaceful and faithful of Israel; thou^◦ seekest to·​·put·​·to·​·death a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow·​·up the inheritance of Jehovah?

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

²¹ The word is not so; for a man^◦ from Mount Ephraim, Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri his name, has lifted up his hand against^◦ the king, against^◦ David. Only give him up, and I will go from over the city. And the woman said unto^▵ Joab, Behold, his head shall be cast to^▵ thee over^▫ the wall.

²² And the woman came to^▵ all the people in her wisdom; and they cut·​·off the head of Sheba^◦ the son of Bichri, and cast it unto^▵ Joab. And he sounded with the shophar, and they scattered from the city every man^◦ to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto^▵ the king.

²³ And Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;

²⁴ and Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder:

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

²⁶ And Ira, also, the Jairite, was priest unto David.