| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram's horn and shouted: We have no portion in David, no inheritance in Jesse's son. Each man to his tent, Israel! | 1There happened to be a troublemaker there named Sheba son of Bicri, a man from the tribe of Benjamin. Sheba blew a ram’s horn and began to chant: “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Come on, you men of Israel, back to your homes!” |
| 2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king. | 2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem. |
| 3When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard. He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows. | 3When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and placed them in seclusion. Their needs were provided for, but he no longer slept with them. So each of them lived like a widow until she died. |
| 4The king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself." | 4Then the king told Amasa, “Mobilize the army of Judah within three days, and report back at that time.” |
| 5Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him. | 5So Amasa went out to notify Judah, but it took him longer than the time he had been given. |
| 6So David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord's soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us." | 6Then David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bicri is going to hurt us more than Absalom did. Quick, take my troops and chase after him before he gets into a fortified town where we can’t reach him.” |
| 7So Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai's command; they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. | 7So Abishai and Joab, together with the king’s bodyguard and all the mighty warriors, set out from Jerusalem to go after Sheba. |
| 8They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. | 8As they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was wearing his military tunic with a dagger strapped to his belt. As he stepped forward to greet Amasa, he slipped the dagger from its sheath. |
| 9Joab asked Amasa, "Are you well, my brother?" Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him. | 9“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him. |
| 10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab's hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died. Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. | 10Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in his left hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it so that his insides gushed out onto the ground. Joab did not need to strike again, and Amasa soon died. Joab and his brother Abishai left him lying there and continued after Sheba. |
| 11One of Joab's young men had stood over Amasa saying, "Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!" | 11One of Joab’s young men shouted to Amasa’s troops, “If you are for Joab and David, come and follow Joab.” |
| 12Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping. | 12But Amasa lay in his blood in the middle of the road, and Joab’s man saw that everyone was stopping to stare at him. So he pulled him off the road into a field and threw a cloak over him. |
| 13When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. | 13With Amasa’s body out of the way, everyone went on with Joab to capture Sheba son of Bicri. |
| 14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites came together and followed him. | 14Meanwhile, Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel and eventually came to the town of Abel-beth-maacah. All the members of his own clan, the Bicrites, assembled for battle and followed him into the town. |
| 15Joab's troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, | 15When Joab’s forces arrived, they attacked Abel-beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the town’s fortifications and began battering down the wall. |
| 16a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him." | 16But a wise woman in the town called out to Joab, “Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you.” |
| 17When he had come near her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. "Listen to the words of your servant," she said to him. He answered, "I'm listening." | 17As he approached, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. So she said, “Listen carefully to your servant.” “I’m listening,” he said. |
| 18She said, "In the past they used to say, 'Seek counsel in Abel,' and that's how they settled disputes. | 18Then she continued, “There used to be a saying, ‘If you want to settle an argument, ask advice at the town of Abel.’ |
| 19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you're trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the LORD's inheritance?" | 19I am one who is peace loving and faithful in Israel. But you are destroying an important town in Israel. Why do you want to devour what belongs to the LORD?” |
| 20Joab protested: "Never! I would never devour or demolish! | 20And Joab replied, “Believe me, I don’t want to devour or destroy your town! |
| 21That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman replied to Joab, "Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you." | 21That’s not my purpose. All I want is a man named Sheba son of Bicri from the hill country of Ephraim, who has revolted against King David. If you hand over this one man to me, I will leave the town in peace.” “All right,” the woman replied, “we will throw his head over the wall to you.” |
| 22The 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. So he blew the ram's horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem. | 22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and called his troops back from the attack. They all returned to their homes, and Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem. |
| 23Joab commanded the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; | 23Now Joab was the commander of the army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard. |
| 24Adoram was over forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian; | 24Adoniram was in charge of forced labor. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. |
| 25Sheva was court secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; | 25Sheva was the court secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. |
| 26and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David's priest. | 26And Ira, a descendant of Jair, was David’s personal priest. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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