Sheba Urges Israel Not to Follow David
1An evil man who always stirred up trouble happened to be in Gilgal. His name was Sheba, the son of Bikri. Sheba was from the tribe of Benjamin. He blew his trumpet. Then he shouted,
“We don’t have any share in David’s kingdom!
Jesse’s son is not our king!
Men of Israel, every one of you go back home!”
2So all the men of Israel deserted David. They followed Sheba, the son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king. They remained with him from the Jordan River all the way to Jerusalem.
3David returned to his palace in Jerusalem. He had left ten concubines there to take care of the palace. He put them in a house and kept them under guard. He gave them what they needed. But he didn’t sleep with them. They were kept under guard until the day they died. They lived as if they were widows.
4The king said to Amasa, “Send for the men of Judah. Tell them to come to me within three days. And be here yourself.” 5So Amasa went to get the men of Judah. But he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
6David said to Abishai, “Sheba, the son of Bikri, will do more harm to us than Absalom ever did. Take my men and go after him. If you don’t, he’ll find cities that have high walls around them. He’ll go into one of them and escape from us.” 7So Joab’s men marched out with the Kerethites and Pelethites. They went out with all the mighty soldiers. All of them were under Abishai’s command. They marched out from Jerusalem and went after Sheba, the son of Bikri.
8They arrived at the great rock in Gibeon. Amasa went there to welcome them. Joab was wearing his military clothes. Over them at his waist he had strapped on a belt that held a dagger. As he stepped forward, he secretly took the dagger out.
9Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my friend?” Then Joab reached out his right hand. He took hold of Amasa’s beard to kiss him. 10Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in Joab’s left hand. Joab stuck it into his stomach. His insides spilled out on the ground. Joab didn’t have to stab him again. Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba, the son of Bikri.
11One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa’s body. He said to the other men, “Are you pleased with Joab? Are you on David’s side? Then follow Joab!” 12Amasa’s body lay covered with his blood in the middle of the road. The man saw that all the troops stopped there. He realized that everyone was stopping to look at Amasa’s body. So he dragged it from the road into a field. Then he threw some clothes on top of it. 13After that happened, everyone continued on with Joab. They went after Sheba, the son of Bikri.
14Sheba passed through all the territory of the tribes of Israel. He arrived at the city of Abel Beth Maakah. He had gone through the entire area of the Bikrites. They had gathered together and followed him. 15Joab and all his troops came to Abel Beth Maakah. They surrounded it because Sheba was there. They built a ramp up to the city. It stood against the outer wall. They pounded the wall with huge logs to bring it down. 16While that was going on, a wise woman called out from the city. She shouted, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here. I want to speak to him.” 17So Joab went toward her. She asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he answered.
She said, “Listen to what I have to say.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
18She continued, “Long ago people used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel.’ And that would settle the matter. 19We are the most peaceful and faithful people in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up what belongs to the Lord?”
20“I would never do anything like that!” Joab said. “I would never swallow up or destroy what belongs to the Lord! 21That isn’t what I have in mind at all. There’s a man named Sheba, the son of Bikri, in your city. He’s from the hill country of Ephraim. He’s trying to kill King David. Hand that man over to me. Then I’ll pull my men back from your city.”
The woman said to Joab, “We’ll throw his head down to you from the wall.”
22Then the woman gave her wise advice to all the people in the city. They cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bikri. They threw it down to Joab. So he blew his trumpet. Then his men pulled back from the city. Each of them returned to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
David’s Officials
23Joab was commander over Israel’s entire army.
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites.
24Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work hard.
Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, kept the records.
25Sheva was the secretary.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26Ira, the Jairite, was David’s priest.
Sheba Aasi Dhidi Ya Daudi
120:1 Mwa 31:14; 29:14; 1Fal 12:16; 1Sam 22:7-8; 2Nya 10:16; 2Sam 12:10; Kum 13:13; Amu 19:22; 1Sam 2:12; 10:27; 1Fal 21:10-13; 2Nya 13:7; 2Sam 19:43Basi, kulikuwa na mtu mbaya sana aliyeitwa Sheba mwana wa Bikri, Mbenyamini, aliyekuwako huko. Akapiga tarumbeta na kupaza sauti,
“Hatuna fungu katika Daudi,
wala hatuna sehemu
katika mwana wa Yese!
Kila mtu aende hemani mwake,
enyi Israeli!”
220:2 Mit 17:14Kwa hiyo watu wote wa Israeli wakamwacha Daudi na kumfuata Sheba mwana Bikri. Lakini watu wa Yuda wakawa karibu na mfalme wao katika safari yote kutoka Yordani mpaka Yerusalemu.
320:3 2Sam 15:16; 16:21-22Daudi aliporudi katika jumba lake la kifalme huko Yerusalemu, aliwachukua wale masuria kumi aliokuwa amewaacha ili kuangalia jumba la kifalme na kuwaweka ndani ya nyumba chini ya ulinzi. Akawapa mahitaji yao lakini hakukutana nao kimwili. Waliwekwa kifungoni wakaishi kama wajane mpaka kifo chao.
420:4 2Sam 17:25; 19:13Ndipo mfalme akamwambia Amasa, “Waite watu wa Yuda waje kwangu katika muda wa siku tatu, nawe mwenyewe uwepo hapa.” 5Lakini Amasa alipokwenda kuwaita Yuda, alichukua muda mrefu zaidi ya ule mfalme aliokuwa amemwekea.
620:6 2Sam 21:17; 1Sam 26:6; 2Sam 18:2; 11:11; 1Fal 1:33Daudi akamwambia Abishai, “Sasa Sheba mwana wa Bikri atatuletea madhara zaidi kuliko alivyofanya Absalomu. Wachukue watu wa bwana wako na umfuatie, la sivyo atapata mji wenye ngome na kututoroka.” 720:7 1Sam 30:14; 2Sam 15:18; 1Fal 1:38; 2Sam 8:18Hivyo watu wa Yoabu, na Wakerethi na Wapelethi, pamoja na wapiganaji mashujaa wote wakaondoka chini ya uongozi wa Abishai. Wakatoka Yerusalemu ili kumfuata Sheba mwana wa Bikri.
820:8 Yos 9:3; 2Sam 2:18Wakati walikuwa kwenye mwamba mkubwa huko Gibeoni, Amasa alikuja kuwalaki. Yoabu alikuwa amevaa mavazi yake ya kijeshi; juu yake alifunga mkanda kwenye kiuno wenye upanga ndani ya ala. Alipokuwa akienda mbele, ule upanga ukaanguka kutoka kwenye ala.
920:9 Mt 26:49; Lk 22:47; Mwa 4:8; 2Sam 2:23; 3:27; 1Fal 2:5Yoabu akamwambia Amasa, “U hali gani, ndugu yangu?” Kisha Yoabu akamshika Amasa ndevu kwa mkono wake wa kuume ili ambusu. 1020:10 Amu 3:21; 2Sam 3:27; 1Fal 2:5Amasa hakuona upanga uliokuwa mkononi mwa Yoabu, naye Yoabu akamchoma nao tumboni, nayo matumbo yake yakamwagika chini. Pasipo kuchomwa mara ya pili, Amasa akafa. Basi Yoabu na Abishai nduguye wakamfuatia Sheba mwana wa Bikri.
11Mmoja wa watu wa Yoabu akasimama kando ya Amasa, akasema, “Yeyote ampendaye Yoabu na yeyote aliye upande wa Daudi, na amfuate Yoabu!” 1220:12 2Sam 2:23Amasa alikuwa akigaagaa katika damu yake katikati ya barabara; mtu mmoja akaona kwamba vikosi vyote vilikuwa vinasimama pale. Huyo mtu alipotambua kwamba kila aliyefika pale Amasa alipokuwa alisimama, alimburuta Amasa kutoka barabarani mpaka kwenye shamba na kutupia nguo juu yake. 13Baada ya Amasa kuondolewa kutoka barabarani, watu wote walienda pamoja na Yoabu kumfuatia Sheba mwana wa Bikri.
1420:14 Hes 21:16; 1Fal 15:20; 2Fal 15:29; 2Nya 16:4Sheba akapita katika makabila yote ya Israeli hadi Abel-Beth-Maaka na kupitia eneo lote la Waberi ambao walijikusanya pamoja na kumfuata. 1520:15 1Fal 15:20; 2Fal 15:29; Isa 37:33; Yer 6:6; 32:24; Lk 19:43Vikosi vyote vya Yoabu vikaja na kumhusuru Sheba mwana wa Bikri huko Abel-Beth-Maaka. Wakauzingira mji kwa kuweka vikosi vya askari, ili kukabiliana na ngome ya mji. Walipokuwa wanagongagonga ukuta ili kuubomoa na kuuangusha chini, 1620:16 2Sam 14:2mwanamke mmoja mwenye busara akaita kutoka ndani ya mji, akisema, “Sikilizeni! Sikilizeni! Mwambieni Yoabu aje hapa ili niweze kuzungumza naye.” 17Yoabu alikwenda mbele yake, akamuuliza, “Wewe ni Yoabu?”
Akamjibu, “Ndiye mimi.”
Yule mwanamke akamwambia, “Sikiliza kile mtumishi wako atakachokuambia.” Akamwambia, “Ninasikiliza.”
18Huyo mwanamke akaendelea kusema, “Zamani za kale walikuwa wakisema, ‘Wakaulize ushauri huko Abeli,’ hivyo kulimaliza lile shauri. 1920:19 Kum 2:26; 1Sam 26:19; 2Sam 21:3Sisi ni watu wa amani na waaminifu katika Israeli. Wewe unajaribu kuharibu mji ambao ni mama katika Israeli. Kwa nini unataka kumeza urithi wa Bwana?”
20Yoabu akajibu, “Hilo liwe mbali nami. Hilo liwe mbali nami kumeza au kuharibu. 2120:21 2Sam 4:8Hivyo sivyo ilivyo. Mtu mmoja jina lake Sheba mwana wa Bikri, kutoka nchi ya vilima vya Efraimu, ameinua mkono wake dhidi ya mfalme, dhidi ya Daudi. Nikabidhini mtu huyu mmoja, nami nitajiondoa katika mji huu.”
Huyu mwanamke akamwambia Yoabu, “Kichwa chake mtatupiwa kupitia juu ya ukuta.”
2220:22 Mhu 9:13-14; 7:19Ndipo huyo mwanamke akaenda kwa watu wote akiwa na ushauri wake wa busara, nao wakakata kichwa cha Sheba mwana wa Bikri na kumtupia Yoabu. Kwa hiyo Yoabu akapiga tarumbeta, na watu wake wakatawanyika kutoka mjini, kila mmoja akirejea nyumbani kwake. Naye Yoabu akarudi kwa mfalme huko Yerusalemu.
2320:23 2Sam 2:28; 8:16-18; 24:2Yoabu alikuwa jemadari wa jeshi lote la Israeli; Benaya mwana wa Yehoyada alikuwa juu ya Wakerethi na Wapelethi; 2420:24 1Fal 4:6; 5:14; 12:18; 2Nya 10:18; 2Sam 8:16; 1Fal 4:3Adoramu alikuwa kiongozi wa wale waliofanya kazi ya kulazimishwa; Yehoshafati mwana wa Ahiludi alikuwa mweka kumbukumbu; 2520:25 1Sam 2:35; 2Sam 8:17Sheva20:25 Sheva mahali pengine ameitwa Shausha (1Nya 18:16; 1Fal 4:3). alikuwa mwandishi; Sadoki na Abiathari walikuwa makuhani; 2620:26 2Sam 23:38na Ira, Myairi, alikuwa kuhani wa Daudi.
