The Koine Bible

And there a lawless son was there, and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of the Benjamite, and he sounded with the ram’s horn and said, We have no portion in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse; each man to your tents, Israel.

And every man of Israel went up from behind David after Sheba son of Bichri, but the man of Judah clung to their king from the Jordan and as far as Jerusalem.

And David entered into his house in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement, and supported them, and he did not go in to them, and they were shut up until the day of their death, living widows.

And the king said to Amasai, Call for me the men of Judah within three days; but you, stand there.

And Amasa went to summon Judah, and he delayed longer than the time which David had appointed him.

And David said to Abessa, Now Sheba son of Bochori will do us harm more than Abessalom. And now you, take with yourself the servants of your lord and pursue after him, lest he find fortified cities for himself and hide from our eyes.

And the men of Joab went out after him, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men, and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri

And they were by the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa came before them, and Joab was girded with a cloak, his garment, and upon it was girded a sword fastened on his loin in its sheath, and the sword came out and fell.

And Joab said to Amasa, Are you well, brother? And Joab’s right hand took hold of Amasa’s beard to kiss him.

And Amasa did not guard against the sword that was in Joab’s hand, and Joab struck him with it in the loins, and his entrails were poured out to the ground, and he did not strike him a second time, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.

And a man from Joab’s young men stood by him and said, Who is for Joab, and who is for David, behind Joab?

And Amasa lay weltering in the blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the people had stopped, and he turned Amasa from the road into a field and cast a garment over him, because he saw everyone who was coming upon him standing still.

When he had passed from the road, every man of Israel passed over after Joab to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri

And he passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and to Beth-maacah, and all the men in Harri, and they were assembled and came after him

And they came and besieged Abel of Beth-maacah against him, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood in the outer fortification, and all the people who were with Joab were intending to throw down the wall.

And a wise woman cried out from the wall and said, Listen, listen; say now to Joab, Come near as far as here, and I will speak to him.

And he drew near to her and said, The woman said, Are you Joab? and he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of your servant, and Joab said, I am listening. I am.

And she said, saying, They used to speak a saying in former times, saying, They shall surely ask in Abel and in Dan whether the faithful things of Israel have failed; they shall certainly inquire in Abel, and so whether they have failed.

I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel; but you seek to put to death a city and a mother city in Israel. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?

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

Is not this the word that a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri was his name, and he lifted up his hand against King David? Give him to me alone, and I will depart from above the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head will be thrown to you through the wall.

And the woman went in to all the people and spoke to all the city in her wisdom, and she cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab; and he sounded the trumpet, and they were scattered from the city, each man to his tents; and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

And Joab was over all the force of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites

and Adoniram over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahiluth, recorder

and Susa the scribe, and Sadok and Abiathar the priests

And also Ira the Jairite was priest to David