The Rebellion of Sheba

2 Samuel 20

1 And there happened to be there a 1 rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said:
a "We have no share in David,
Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse;
b Every man to his tents, O Israel!"

2 So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the c men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.

3 Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, d his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 And the king said to Amasa, e "Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself." 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him. 6 And David said to f Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take g your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us." 7 So Joab's men, with the h Cherethites, the Pelethites, and i all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, "Are you in health, my brother?" j And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And k he struck him with it l in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Meanwhile one of Joab's men stood near Amasa, and said, "Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David - follow Joab!" 12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted. 13 When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to m Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after 2 Sheba. 15 Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they n cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come nearby, that I may speak with you.' " 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening." 18 So she spoke, saying, "They used to talk in former times, saying, 'They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,' and so they would end disputes. 19 "I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up o the inheritance of the LORD?" 20 And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 "That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman p in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

23 And q Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 Adoram was r in charge of revenue; s Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was scribe; t Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; 26 u and Ira the Jairite was 3 a chief minister under David.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 8:1
    Now the men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?" And they reprimanded him sharply.
    Judges 12:1
    Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!
  2. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:43
    And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us - were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?" Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
    1 Kings 12:16
    Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: "What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!" So Israel departed to their tents.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 13:2
    Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.
    2 Samuel 18:17
    And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
    2 Chronicles 10:16
    Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: "What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!" So all Israel departed to their tents.
  4. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:14
    So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: "Return, you and all your servants!
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:16
    Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
    2 Samuel 16:21
    And Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.
    2 Samuel 16:22
    So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 17:25
    And Absalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
    2 Samuel 19:13
    "And say to Amasa, ' Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"
  7. Cross References
    2 Samuel 21:17
    But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 11:11
    And Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.
    1 Kings 1:33
    The king also said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:18
    Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.
    1 Kings 1:38
    So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon.
    1 Kings 1:44
    The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king's mule.
  10. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:18
    Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.
  11. Cross References
    Matthew 26:49
    Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
    Luke 22:47
    And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.
  12. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:27
    Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
    1 Kings 2:5
    Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 2:23
    However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 15:20
    So BenHadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
    2 Kings 15:29
    In the days of Pekah king of Israel, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
    2 Chronicles 16:4
    So BenHadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
  15. Cross References
    2 Kings 19:32
    Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it.
    Ezekiel 4:2
    Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all around.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:19
    "Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'
    2 Samuel 14:16
    'For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.'
    2 Samuel 21:3
    Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
  17. Cross References
    2 Samuel 20:16
    Then a wise woman cried out from the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come nearby, that I may speak with you.'
    Ecclesiastes 9:13 - 16
    This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
  18. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:16 - 18
    Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.
    1 Kings 4:3 - 6
    Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
  19. Cross References
    1 Kings 4:6
    Ahishar, over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda, over the labor force.
  20. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:16
    Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.
    1 Kings 4:3
    Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
  21. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:17
    Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe.
    1 Kings 4:4
    Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, over the army; Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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