1And there happened to be there a base fellow , whose name was Sheba , the son of Bichri , a Benjamite : and he blew the trumpet , and said, We have no portion in David , neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : every man to his tents, O Israel . 2So all the men of Israel went up from following David , and followed Sheba the son of Bichri ; but the men of Judah clave unto their king , from the Jordan even to Jerusalem . 3And 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 provided them with sustenance , but went not in unto them . So they were shut up unto the day of their death , living in widowhood.
David's Response and Joab's Role
4Then said the king to Amasa , Call me the men of Judah together within three days , and be thou here present . 5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together ; but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him . 6And David said to Abishai, Now will 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 fortified cities , and escape out of our sight . 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 came to meet them . And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on , and thereon was 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 , Is it well with thee , my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his 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 body , and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again ; and he died . And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri .
The Siege of Abel
11And there stood by him one of Joab ’s young men , and said, He that favoreth Joab , and he that is for David , let him follow Joab . 12And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway . And when the man saw that all the people stood still , he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field , and cast a garment over 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 . 14And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah , and all the Berites : and they were gathered together, and went also after him . 15And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah , and they cast up a mound against the city , and it stood against the rampart ; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall , to throw it down . 16Then 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 he came near unto her ; and the woman said , Art thou Joab ? And he answered , I am. Then she said unto him , Hear the words of thy 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 . 19I am 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 Jehovah ?
Resolution and Restoration
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 the hill-country of 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 . 22Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom . And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri , and threw it out to Joab . And he blew the trumpet , and they were dispersed from the city , every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king . 23Now 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 men subject to taskwork; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder ; 25and Sheva was scribe ; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests ; 26and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister unto David .