1 And there happened to be an unthrifty fellow named Sheba, the son of Bichri a man of Benjamin which blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse, O Israel.
2 Let us depart therefore every man to his tent." And all Israel went from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave fast unto the king, from Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 And when David was come to his house to Jerusalem, he took the ten wives his concubines that he had left behind him to keep the house, and put them in ward and ministered all things unto them: but lay no more with them. And so they were enclosed unto the day of the death of them, and lived a widow's life.
4 Then said the king to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days and present thyself here."
5 And Amasa went to gather the men of Judah together: but tarried longer than the time which was appointed him.
6 Wherefore the king said to Abishai, "Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri be worse to us than Absalom. Take thou therefore thy lord's servants and follow after him: lest he get him walled cities and escape us."
7 And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and the men of might. And they departed out of Jerusalem to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8 And when they were come to the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. And Joab had his garment that he had about him, gird unto him, and had girded thereon a knife joined fast to his loins, in such a sheath that as he went it fell sometimes out.
9 And Joab said to Amasa, "Are all things in rest and peace my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the chin with the right hand, as though he would have kissed him.
10 And Amasa took no heed to the knife that was in Joab's hand, with which Joab smote him in the short ribs, and shed out his bowels to the ground and smote him but one stroke, and he died. And then Joab and Abishai his brother followed after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11 And one of Joab's men that stood by him said, "What is he that he would be as Joab, and what is he that would be unto David instead of Joab?"
12 And Amasa lay wallowing in blood in the midst of the way. And there was a man that saw all the people stand still. And when he saw that all that came by him stood still, he rolled Amasa out of the way into the field and cast a cloth upon him.
13 And as soon as he was tumbled out of the way, all the people went after Joab to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel-Bethmaacah and all Berim. And the people gathered unto him and went also after him.
15 And they came and besieged him in Abel-Bethmaacah. And they cast up a bank against the city, and it was besieged: All the people that was with Joab laboured busily to overthrow the wall.
16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, "Hear! Hear! Bid, I pray you, Joab that he come hither, that I may speak with him."
17 When Joab was come the woman said, "Art thou Joab?" And Joab answered, "That am I." And she said to him, "Hear the words of thy handmaid." And he said, "I am ready to hear."
18 And she said, "It hath been a common saying in the old time: 'Men must ask of Abel, and then go and finish the work.'
19 Abel is one of the quietest and faithfullest cities that are in Israel. And thou goest about to destroy a city that is as a mother in Israel. Why devourest thou the inheritance of the LORD?"
20 And Joab answered and said, "God forbid! God forbid it me, that I should either devour or destroy it.
21 The matter is not so: But there is a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, which hath lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver us him only, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said unto Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown through the wall to thee."
22 And then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they smote off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they scattered from the city every man to his tent, and Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
23 And Joab was over all the host of Israel. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites.
24 And Adoram was over the tribute. And Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.
25 Sheva was scribe. And Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26 And Ira the Jairite was likewise David's priest.