Sheba Rebels Against David
1Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
“We have no share in David,
no part in Jesse’s son!
Every man to his tent, Israel!”
2So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.
4Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
6David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”20:6 Or and do us serious injury 7So Joab’s men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
8While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.
9Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
11One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,20:14 See Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew Berites. who gathered together and followed him. 15All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, 16a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” 17He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he answered.
She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
18She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. 19We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
20“Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”
The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.”
22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
David’s Officials
23Joab was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; 24Adoniram20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14); Hebrew Adoram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 25Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26and Ira the Jairite20:26 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 23:38) Ithrite was David’s priest.
Ṣeba ṣọ̀tẹ̀ sí Dafidi
1Ọkùnrin Beliali kan sì ń bẹ níbẹ̀ orúkọ rẹ̀ sì ń jẹ́ Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri ará Benjamini; ó sì fún ìpè ó sì wí pé,
“Àwa kò ní ipa nínú Dafidi,
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni àwa kò ni ìní nínú ọmọ Jese!
Kí olúkúlùkù ọkùnrin lọ sí àgọ́ rẹ̀, ẹ̀yin Israẹli!”
2Gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli sì lọ kúrò lẹ́yìn Dafidi, wọ́n sì ń tọ́ Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri lẹ́yìn: ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ọkùnrin Juda sì fi ara mọ́ ọba wọn láti odò Jordani wá títí ó fi dé Jerusalẹmu.
3Dafidi sì wà ní ilé rẹ̀ ní Jerusalẹmu; ọba sì mú àwọn obìnrin mẹ́wàá tí í ṣe àlè rẹ̀, àwọn tí ó ti fi sílẹ̀ láti máa ṣọ́ ilé, Ó sì há wọn mọ́ ilé, ó sì ń bọ́ wọn, ṣùgbọ́n kò sì tún wọlé tọ̀ wọ́n mọ́. A sì sé wọn mọ́ títí di ọjọ́ ikú wọn, wọ́n sì wà bí opó.
Joabu fi idà gún Amasa, ó sì kú
4Ọba sì wí fún Amasa pé, “Pe àwọn ọkùnrin Juda fún mi ní ìwọ̀n ọjọ́ mẹ́ta òní, kí ìwọ náà kí o sì wà níhìn-ín yìí.” 5Amasa sì lọ láti pe àwọn ọkùnrin Juda; ṣùgbọ́n ó sì dúró pẹ́ ju àkókò tí a fi fún un.
6Dafidi sì wí fún Abiṣai pé, “Nísinsin yìí Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri yóò ṣe wá ní ibi ju ti Absalomu lọ; ìwọ mú àwọn ìránṣẹ́ olúwa rẹ, kí o sì lépa rẹ̀, kí ó má ba à rí ìlú olódi wọ̀, kí ó sì bọ́ lọ́wọ́ wa.” 7Àwọn ọmọkùnrin Joabu sì jáde tọ̀ ọ́ lọ, àti àwọn Kereti, àti àwọn Peleti, àti gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin alágbára: wọ́n sì ti Jerusalẹmu jáde lọ, láti lépa Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri.
8Nígbà tí wọ́n dé ibi òkúta ńlá tí ó wà ní Gibeoni, Amasa sì ṣáájú wọn, Joabu sì di àmùrè sí agbádá rẹ̀ tí ó wọ̀, ó sì sán idà rẹ̀ mọ́ ìdí, nínú àkọ̀ rẹ̀, bí ó sì ti ń lọ, ó yọ́ jáde.
9Joabu sì bi Amasa léèrè pé, “Àlàáfíà ha kọ́ ni bí, ìwọ arákùnrin mi?” Joabu sì na ọwọ́ ọ̀tún rẹ̀, di Amasa ní irùngbọ̀n mú láti fi ẹnu kò ó lẹ́nu. 10Ṣùgbọ́n Amasa kò sì kíyèsi idà tí ń bẹ lọ́wọ́ Joabu: bẹ́ẹ̀ ni òun sì fi gún un ní ikùn, ìfun rẹ̀ sì tú dà sílẹ̀, òun kò sì tún gún un mọ́: Amasa sì kú. Joabu àti Abiṣai arákùnrin rẹ̀ sì lépa Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri.
Joabu lépa Seba
11Ọ̀kan nínú àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọdékùnrin tí ó wà lọ́dọ̀ Joabu sì dúró tì Amasa, ó sì wí pé, “Ta ni ẹni tí ó fẹ́ràn Joabu? Ta ni ó sì ń ṣe ti Dafidi, kí ó máa tọ Joabu lẹ́yìn.” 12Amasa sì ń yíràá nínú ẹ̀jẹ̀ láàrín ọ̀nà. Ọkùnrin náà sì rí i pé gbogbo ènìyàn sì dúró tì í, ó sì gbé Amasa kúrò lójú ọ̀nà lọ sínú igbó, ó sì fi aṣọ bò ó, nígbà tí ó rí i pé ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá dé ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀, á dúró. 13Nígbà tí ó sì gbé Amasa kúrò lójú ọ̀nà gbogbo ènìyàn sì tọ Joabu lẹ́yìn láti lépa Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri.
Wọ́n gé Ṣeba lórí
14Ṣeba kọjá nínú gbogbo ẹ̀yà Israẹli sí Abeli-Beti-Maaka, àti gbogbo àwọn ará Beri; wọ́n sì kó ara wọn jọ, wọ́n sì tọ̀ ọ́ lẹ́yìn pẹ̀lú. 15Wọ́n wá, wọ́n sì dó tì Ṣeba ní Abeli-Beti-Maaka, wọ́n sì mọ odi ti ìlú náà, odi náà sì dúró ti odi ìlú náà, gbogbo ènìyàn tí ń bẹ lọ́dọ̀ Joabu sì ń gbìyànjú láti wó ògiri náà lulẹ̀. 16Obìnrin ọlọ́gbọ́n kan sì kígbe sókè láti ìlú náà wá pé, “Fetísílẹ̀! Fetísílẹ̀! Èmi bẹ̀ yín, ẹ sọ fún Joabu pé: Súnmọ́ ìhín yìí èmi ó sì bá a sọ̀rọ̀.” 17Nígbà tí òun sì súnmọ́ ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀, obìnrin náà sì wí pé, “Ìwọ ni Joabu bí?”
Òun sì dáhùn wí pé, “Èmi náà ni.”
Obìnrin náà sì wí fún un pé, “Gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ ìránṣẹ́bìnrin rẹ.”
Òun sì dáhùn wí pé, “Èmi ń gbọ́.”
18Ó sì sọ̀rọ̀ wí pé, “Wọ́n ti ń wí ṣáájú pé, ‘Gba ìdáhùn rẹ ní Abeli’ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n sì parí ọ̀ràn náà. 19Èmi ni ọ̀kan nínú àwọn ẹni àlàáfíà àti olóòtítọ́ ní Israẹli: ìwọ ń wá ọ̀nà láti pa ìlú kan run tí ó jẹ́ ìyá ní Israẹli: èéṣe tí ìwọ ó fi gbé ìní Olúwa mì.”
20Joabu sì dáhùn wí pé, “Kí a má rí i, kí a má rí i lọ́dọ̀ mi pé èmi gbé mì tàbí èmi sì parun. 21Ọ̀ràn náà kò sì rí bẹ́ẹ̀; ṣùgbọ́n ọkùnrin kan láti òkè Efraimu, tí orúkọ rẹ̀ ń jẹ́ Ṣeba, ọmọ Bikri, ni ó gbé ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sókè sí ọba, àní sí Dafidi: fi òun nìkan ṣoṣo lé wa lọ́wọ́, èmi ó sì fi ìlú sílẹ̀.”
Obìnrin náà sì wí fún Joabu pé, “Wò ó, orí rẹ̀ ni a ó sì sọ láti inú odi wá.”
22Obìnrin náà sì mú ìmọ́ràn rẹ̀ tọ gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn náà, wọ́n sì bẹ Ṣeba ọmọ Bikri lórí, wọ́n sì sọ ọ́ sí Joabu. Òun sì fún ìpè, wọ́n sì túká ní ìlú náà, olúkúlùkù sí àgọ́ rẹ̀. Joabu sí padà lọ sí Jerusalẹmu àti sọ́dọ̀ ọba.
Àwọn ìránṣẹ́ Dafidi
2320.23-26: 2Sa 8.15-18; 24.2.Joabu sì ni olórí gbogbo ogun Israẹli;
Benaiah ọmọ Jehoiada sì jẹ́ olórí àwọn Kereti, àti ti àwọn Peleti.
24Adoniramu sì jẹ́ olórí àwọn agbowó òde;
Jehoṣafati ọmọ Ahiludi sì jẹ́ olùkọsílẹ̀ ohun tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ ní ìlú.
25Ṣefa sì jẹ́ akọ̀wé;
Sadoku àti Abiatari sì ni àwọn àlùfáà.
26Ira pẹ̀lú, ará Jairi ni ń ṣe àlùfáà lọ́dọ̀ Dafidi.
