2 Samuel 20

All 26 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read 2 Samuel 20 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1Now there was a man of Belial named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel!"
2. 2So all the men of Israel left David and followed Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.
3. 3When David arrived at his palace in Jerusalem, he took the 10 concubines he had left behind to look after the house and placed them under guard. He provided for their needs but never slept with them again. They were confined there until the day they died, living in widowhood.
4. 4The king told Amasa, 'Assemble the men of Judah within three days, and you must be here yourself.'
5. 5Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah, but he took longer than the deadline David had given him.
6. 6David said to Abishai, 'Sheba son of Bichri will cause us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants and pursue him before he reaches fortified cities and escapes us.'
7. 7So Joab's men marched out along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the elite warriors. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
8. 8When they reached the great stone at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military gear, with a belt around his waist that held a sword in its sheath. As he stepped forward, the sword slipped out.
9. 9Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then he grabbed Amasa's beard with his right hand as if to kiss him.
10. 10Amasa didn't notice the sword in Joab's hand, so Joab struck him in the fifth rib, causing his bowels to spill onto the ground. He didn't strike him again, and Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
11. 11One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa's body and called out, "Anyone who supports Joab and is loyal to David — follow Joab!"
12. 12Amasa lay in a pool of blood in the middle of the road. When the soldier noticed that everyone who passed by stopped to stare, he dragged Amasa's body off the road into a field and threw a cloth over it.
13. 13Once the body was moved off the road, all the troops continued on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14. 14Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Berites rallied together and followed him there.
15. 15Joab's forces arrived and laid siege to Sheba in Abel of Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the city, and the ramp was positioned in the trench. All of Joab's troops began battering the wall to bring it down.
16. 16Then a wise woman called out from inside the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come closer so I can speak with him!"
17. 17When he came near, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He said, "I am." She said, "Please hear what your servant has to say." He replied, "I'm listening."
18. 18She said, 'In the past, people used to say, "They will surely seek advice at Abel," and that is how they resolved the matter.'
19. 19I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. Yet you're trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
20. 20Joab answered, "Absolutely not! I have no desire to swallow up or destroy anything.
21. 21That's not what this is about. A man from the hill country of Ephraim — Sheba son of Bichri — has rebelled against King David. Just hand him over, and I'll withdraw from the city." The woman told Joab, "His head will be thrown over the wall to you."
22. 22The woman went to all the people with her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23. 23Joab commanded the entire army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.
24. 24Adoram was in charge of the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.
25. 25Sheva was the court secretary, and Zadok and Abiathar served as priests.
26. 26Ira the Jairite was a chief ruler around David.