2 Samuel 20

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, 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.

A wicked man named Sheba, a Benjamite, was there. He defiantly blew a trumpet and declared, "We owe nothing to David, we share no legacy with Jesse's son. Let's go home, Israel!"

So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

Every Israelite left David and followed Sheba, Bichri's son. However, the men of Judah remained loyal to their king, from Jordan to Jerusalem.

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.

David returned to his home in Jerusalem. He took the ten women, his concubines, who he'd left to care for his home, and placed them under house arrest. He provided for them but no longer slept with them. They lived out their days in isolation, akin to widows.

Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

The king urgently told Amasa, "Gather the men of Judah in three days, and make sure you're here too."

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

Amasa set out to gather the men of Judah, but he took longer than the agreed time.

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

David warned Abishai, "Sheba, Bichri's son, is a greater threat than Absalom ever was. Take our men and chase him down before he finds refuge in fortified cities and eludes us."

And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Joab's men, along with the Cherethites, Pelethites, and all the brave warriors, left Jerusalem with a burning determination. Their mission was clear - to chase down Sheba, Bichri's son.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa 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.

At the massive rock in Gibeon, Amasa led the way. Joab, dressed in his outfit, had a sword strapped to his waist. As he moved, the sword slipped from its sheath.

And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

Joab greeted Amasa warmly, "Are you well, my brother?" With a tender gesture, he reached out, grasping Amasa's beard with his right hand, preparing to embrace him in a kiss.

But Amasa 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 Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Amasa didn't notice the sword in Joab's hand. With a swift, lethal strike, Joab pierced him in the chest, his life spilling onto the ground. He didn't strike again; there was no need. Amasa was dead. Then, Joab and his brother Abishai chased after Sheba, Bichri's son.

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.

A loyal soldier of Joab stood beside him, declaring, "If you support Joab or if you're on David's side, follow Joab now."

And Amasa 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.

Amasa lay bleeding profusely in the middle of the road. Seeing the crowd frozen in shock, a man quickly moved Amasa to a nearby field. He gently covered him with a cloth, noticing that everyone passing by stopped to stare.

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Once he was safely off the road, everyone eagerly followed Joab, hot on the trail of Sheba, Bichri's son.

And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

He journeyed across every tribe in Israel, reaching Abel and Bethmaachah, and even the Berites. They all united, passionately following him.

And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, 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.

They surrounded him in Abel of Bethmaachah and built a siege ramp against the city, right up to its outer rampart. Joab's people relentlessly attacked the wall, determined to bring it down.

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.

A wise woman from the city passionately pleaded, "Listen, please ask Joab to come closer. I need to speak with him."

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.

As he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He confirmed, "Yes, it's me." Then she pleaded, "Please listen to me." He assured her, "I'm listening."

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.

She expressed, "In the past, people would seek advice from Abel to resolve their issues."

I am one 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?

I am a peaceful and loyal servant in Israel. Yet, you aim to tear down a city, a nurturing mother in our land. Why do you desire to consume what God has graciously given us?

And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Joab responded passionately, "Never, never would I dare to consume or annihilate!"

The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri 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.

This isn't the case: a man from Mount Ephraim, named Sheba, son of Bichri, has rebelled against King David. Just hand him over, and I'll leave the city. The woman assured Joab, promising to toss Sheba's head over the city wall to him.

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, 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.

The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. He sounded the trumpet, and his men withdrew from the city, each returning to his tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

Joab led all of Israel's forces, while Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, commanded the Cherethites and Pelethites.

And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:

Adoram was in charge of the forced labor, while Jehoshaphat, Ahilud's son, served as the official historian.

And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

Sheva served as the writer, while Zadok and Abiathar, filled with reverence, performed their duties as priests.

And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

Ira, the Jairite, was a trusted and respected leader under David's reign.