Chapter 20

1. AND there happened to be there a man of Be-li-al, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bich-ri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bich-ri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3. And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took 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 unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4. Then said the king to A-ma-sa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
5. So A-ma-sa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6. And David said to Ab-i-shai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bich-ri do us more harm than did Ab-sa-lom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities and escape us.
7. And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cher-e-thites, and the Pel-e-thites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bich-ri.
8. When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, A-ma-sa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9. And Joab said to A-ma-sa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10. But A-ma-sa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: 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 Abi-shai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bich-ri.
11. And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
12. And A-ma-sa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bich-ri.
14. And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-ma-a-chah, and all the Be-rites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
15. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma-a-chah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear; hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
17. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
19. I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up 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. The matter is not so: but a man of mount E-phra-im, Sheba the son of Bich-ri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22. Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bich-ri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
23. Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Be-nai-ah the son of Je-hoi-a-da was over the Cher-e-thites and over the Pel-e-thites:
24. And A-dor-am was over the tribute: and Je-hosh-a-phat the son of A-hi-lud was recorder:
25. And She-va was scribe: and Zadok and A-bi-a-thar were the priests:
26. And Ira also the Ja-ir-ite was a chief ruler about David.

Apr. 24 Daily reading schedule.. go to Luke 18