1: 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. |
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2: 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. |
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3:
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. |
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4: Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah
within three days, and be thou here present. |
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5: So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried
longer than the set time which he had appointed him. |
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6: 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. |
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7: 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. |
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8: 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. |
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9: 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. |
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10: 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. |
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11: 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. |
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12: 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. |
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13: When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went
on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. |
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14: 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. |
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15: 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.
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16: 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. |
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17: 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. |
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18: 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. |
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19: 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? |
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20: And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me,
that I should swallow up or destroy. |
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21: 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. |
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22: 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. |
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23: Now ab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: |
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24: And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of
Ahilud was recorder: |
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25: And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the
priests: |
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26: And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.
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