Now there happened to be there a wicked man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, from the tribe of the House of Benjamin. And he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, four and we have no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his city, O Israel!”

So all the men of Israel withdrew from David to go after Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah joined their king from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubine wives whom he had left to guard the house, and put them in a house under guard. And he used to provide for them, but did not go in to them. So they were guarded, and they were called until the day of their death “widows of a living husband”.

Then the king said to Amasa, “Gather before me the men of Judah within three days, and stand here yourself.”

So Amasa went to gather those of the House of Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time which he had said to him.

And David said to Abishai, “Now, Sheba the son of Bichri might do us more harm than Absalom. You must take your lord’s servants, and pursue him, lest he find himself fortified cities, and oppress us.”

And the men of Joab, and the archers and slingers, and all the heroes went out after him. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came towards them. Now Joab was girded, wearing his clothes, and over them was a belt with a sword in its sheath girded upon his loins. And he went striding on.

And Joab said to Amasa, “Is is well with you, my brother?” And Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard with his right hand in order to kiss him.

So Amasa did not take heed of the sword which was in Joab’s [left] hand. And he struck him with it in the place of his loins, and shed his bowels to the ground – he did not need to repeat it – and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

And one of Joab’s men was standing by him, and said, “Whoever favours Joab, and whoever is for David, let him go after Joab.”

And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he turned Amasa aside out of the road into the field, and threw clothes over him, since any one who came by saw him and stopped.

When he had turned him aside from the road, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

And he passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth maacah, and all the Berites. And they also gathered together, and came after him.

And they came and besieged him in Abel and Beth maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and troops surrounded it. And all the men who were with Joab were planning to destroy the wall.

Then a wise woman called from the city, “Hear! Hear! Tell Joab now, ‘Draw near, that I may speak to you.’”

And he drew near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He said, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” And he said, “I am listening.”

And she said, saying, “I remind [you] now of what is written in the book of the law to first ask in the city! In other words, Was it not proper for you to ask in Abel, if they were willing to make peace?

We are willing to make peace in faithfulness to Israel; a city which you are seeking to destroy, that is a large fortified city and a mother in Israel. Why do you want to ruin the inheritance of the people of the LORD?

Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin and destroy!

The matter is not so, for a man from the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will go away from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his own town. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Now Joab was appointed over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was appointed over the archers and the slingers.

And Adoram was appointed over the tax collectors, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was appointed over the records.

Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

And Ira who was from Tekoa was also David’s teacher.