1There happened to be there a worthless man named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He blew a trumpet and said, "We have no share in David. We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel."
2So every man of Israel left David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed close to their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.
3David came to his house at Jerusalem. The king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them under guard. He gave them food, but he did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day they died, living as widows.
4Then the king said to Amasa, "Call the men of Judah together for me within three days, and be here yourself."
5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together. But he stayed longer than the time the king had set for him.
6David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants and chase after him. If you do not, he will find walled cities and escape from us."
7So Joab's men went out after him, with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men. They went out of Jerusalem to chase after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his soldier's coat, tied around him, and over it a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist. As he stepped forward, the sword fell out.
9Joab said to Amasa, "Are you well, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa took no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the fifth rib, and his insides spilled out on the ground. He did not need to strike him again, and Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai chased after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever is for Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab."
12Amasa lay rolling in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a cloth over him, for he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13When Amasa had been moved out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to chase after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites. They gathered together and went after him too.
15Joab's men came and surrounded him in Abel of Bethmaachah. They piled up a mound of earth against the city, and it stood against the outer wall. All the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to bring it down.
16Then a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen, listen. Please say to Joab, 'Come here, so that I may speak with you.'"
17When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He answered, "I am listening."
18Then she said, "In the old days people used to say, 'They will surely ask for advice at Abel,' and that is how they settled a matter."
19"I am one of those who are peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?"
20Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy."
21"That is not what this is about. But a man from mount Ephraim, named Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over him alone, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
22Then the woman went to all the people with her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. He blew a trumpet, and they went away from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23Now Joab was over all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites.
24Adoram was over the forced labour. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder.
25Sheva was the scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26And Ira the Jairite also was a chief ruler under David.