1And 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. 2So 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.
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.20.3 ward: Heb. an house of ward20.3 shut…: Heb. bound20.3 living…: Heb. in widowhood of life
4¶ Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.20.4 Assemble: Heb. Call 5So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.20.5 Assemble: Heb. Call 6And 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.20.6 escape…: Heb. deliver himself from our eyes 7And 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. 8When 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. 9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10But 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.20.10 struck…: Heb. doubled not his stroke 11And 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. 12And 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. 13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
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. 15And 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.20.15 in the trench: or, against the outmost wall20.15 battered: Heb. marred to throw down
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. 17And 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. 18Then 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.20.18 They were…: or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end 19I 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? 20And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21The 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.20.21 by name: Heb. by his name 22Then 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.20.22 retired: Heb. were scattered
23¶ Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 24And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:20.24 recorder: or, remembrancer 25And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 26And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.20.26 a chief…: or, a prince
Seba rebela-se contra David
1Um extremista revoltado que se chamava Seba, filho de Bicri da tribo de Benjamim, tocou trombeta e gritou para toda a gente: “Nós não temos nada a ver com David; nada temos de comum com este filho de Jessé! Gente de Israel: Vamos embora daqui! Ele não é o nosso rei!” 2À exceção de Judá, todos deixaram de seguir a David e foram atrás de Seba. Os homens de Judá ficaram com o seu rei, acompanhando-o do Jordão até Jerusalém.
3Quando chegou ao seu palácio, o rei deu instruções para que as suas dez mulheres, que deixara a guardar o palácio, ficassem a viver retiradas num aposento próprio. Seriam sustentadas devidamente, mas o rei não mais teria relações com elas como suas mulheres e seriam como viúvas até falecerem.
4Então o rei deu instruções a Amasa para mobilizar o exército de Judá dentro do período de três dias e que depois se apresentasse de novo ao soberano. 5Amasa foi recrutar tropas, mas levou mais tempo que os três dias que lhe tinham sido concedidos.
6David disse a Abisai: “Esse indivíduo Seba é bem capaz de nos fazer ainda mais mal do que Absalão. Portanto, despacha-te, pega na minha guarda pessoal e vai atrás dele, antes que tome posição numa cidade fortificada onde não possamos atingi-lo.” 7Abisai e Joabe foram em perseguição dele com um batalhão de elite formado por soldados do exército de Joabe, como os cretenses e peleteus da guarda privada do soberano. Deixaram Jerusalém e foram em perseguição de Seba, filho de Bicri.
8Quando chegaram à grande rocha de Gibeão, deram de caras com Amasa. Joabe envergava o seu uniforme militar, com uma espada ao lado. Ao aproximar-se de Amasa para o saudar, foi tirando disfarçadamente a espada da bainha. 9“Então como vais, meu irmão?”, disse-lhe Joabe, enquanto lhe pegava na barba, com a mão direita, como se preparasse para o beijar. 10Amasa não reparou na espada já desembainhada na mão esquerda e Joabe enfiou-lha no estômago, de tal forma que até as entranhas lhe saíram. Nem foi preciso feri-lo segunda vez; morreu logo ali. Joabe e Abisai deixaram-no caído e continuaram atrás de Seba.
11Um dos jovens oficiais de Joabe gritou para as tropas de Amasa: “Se vocês são por David, venham e sigam a Joabe.” 12O corpo de Amasa jazia ali, no meio do caminho, banhado em sangue. O jovem oficial vendo que toda aquela gente se amontoava em volta do cadáver para o ver, arrastou-o para fora do caminho, para um campo ao lado e pôs-lhe uma manta em cima. 13Com o corpo morto afastado da estrada, toda a gente foi atrás de Joabe para capturarem Seba.
14Entretanto, Seba tinha atravessado a terra de Israel para mobilizar o seu próprio clã de Bicri na cidade de Abel-Bete-Maacá. 15Quando as forças de Joabe chegaram, cercaram Abel-Bete-Maacá, construíram uma plataforma, levantaram-na até à altura da muralha da povoação e começaram a destruí-la.
16Uma mulher conhecida pela sua sensatez chamou por Joabe: “Escuta-me, Joabe. Chega-te aqui. Quero falar contigo.” 17Ele aproximou-se e a mulher perguntou-lhe: “Tu és mesmo Joabe?” Respondeu-lhe: “Sim, sou eu próprio.”
18“Há um ditado que diz: ‘Se quiseres ganhar uma causa, pede conselho em Abel’, porque nós sempre damos bons conselhos. 19Tu estás a destruir uma cidade antiga, pacífica e leal a Israel. Será correto que estejas a derrubar o que pertence ao Senhor?”
20“A questão não é essa”, replicou Joabe. 21“Tudo o que eu pretendo é um homem chamado Seba, das colinas de Efraim, que se revoltou contra o rei David. Se mo entregarem, deixaremos a cidade em paz.”
“Está bem, lançaremos a sua cabeça sobre a muralha.” 22Então a mulher levou aos habitantes da povoação esse assunto; eles cortaram a cabeça a Seba e lançaram-na a Joabe. Este tocou a trombeta, reuniu as tropas para abandonarem o ataque e voltaram para junto do rei em Jerusalém.
Os funcionários de David
(2 Sm 8.15-18; 1 Cr 18.14-17)
23Joabe era o comandante-chefe do exército,
Benaia, filho de Jeoiada, tinha a chefia dos cretenses e peleteus.
24Adonirão era o responsável pelos serviços de impostos,
Jeosafá, filho de Ailude, era o cronista.
25Seva era escrivão,
Zadoque e Abiatar eram os sacerdotes.
26Ira, o jairita, era o sacerdote pessoal ao serviço de David.
