And therehappened to be there a man of Belial, whosename was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neitherhave we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
So every man of Israelwent up fromafterDavid, and followedSheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judahclaveuntotheirking, fromJordaneven to Jerusalem.
And Davidcame to his house at Jerusalem; and the kingtook the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in untothem. So theywereshut up unto the day of theirdeath, living in widowhood.
And Davidsaid to Abishai, Now shallSheba the son of Bichri do us moreharmthan did Absalom: takethou thy lord’sservants, and pursueafter him, lest he get him fencedcities, and escape us.
And therewent out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and theywent out of Jerusalem, to pursueafterSheba the son of Bichri.
Whentheywere at the greatstonewhich is in Gibeon, Amasawentbeforethem. And Joab’sgarmentthat he had put on was girdedunto him, and upon it a girdlewith a swordfastenedupon his loins in the sheaththereof; and as he wentforth it fell out.
But Amasatook no heed to the swordthat was in Joab’shand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brotherpursuedafterSheba the son of Bichri.
And Amasawallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the peoplestoodstill, he removedAmasa out of the highwayinto the field, and cast a clothupon him, when he saw thatevery one thatcame by him stoodstill.
And theycame and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and theycast up a bankagainst the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the peoplethatwerewithJoabbattered the wall, to throw it down.
And when he was comenearunto her, the womansaid, Art thouJoab? And he answered, I am he. Then she saidunto him, Hear the words of thinehandmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
I am one of themthat are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thouseekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wiltthouswallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
The matter is not so: but a man of mountEphraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hathlifted up his handagainst the king, evenagainstDavid: deliver him only, and I willdepartfrom the city. And the womansaiduntoJoab, Behold, his headshall be thrown to theeover the wall.
Then the womanwentunto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and theyretiredfrom the city, every man to his tent. And Joabreturned to Jerusalemunto the king.