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.
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.
