Sheba Rebels against David
1 A troublemaker from the tribe of Benjamin was there. His name was Sheba the son of Bichri, and he blew a trumpet to get everyone's attention. Then he said, “People of Israel, David the son of Jesse doesn't belong to us! Let's go home.”
2 So they stopped following David and went off with Sheba. But the people of Judah stayed close to David all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
David's Ten Wives
3 David had left ten of his wives in Jerusalem to take care of his palace. But when he came back, he had them taken to another house, and he placed soldiers there to guard them. He gave them whatever they needed, but he never slept with any of them again. They had to live there for the rest of their lives as if they were widows.
The Army Goes after Sheba
4 David said to Amasa, “Three days from now I want you and all of Judah's army to be here!”
5 Amasa started bringing the army together, but it was taking him more than three days. 6 So David said to Abishai, “Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom ever did. Take my best soldiers and go after him. We don't want him to take over any walled cities and get away from us.”
Joab Kills Amasa
7 Abishai left Jerusalem to try and capture Sheba. He took along Joab and his soldiers, as well as David's bodyguard and best troops. 8 They had gone as far as the big rock at Gibeon when Amasa caught up with them. Joab had a dagger strapped around his waist over his military uniform, but it fell out as he started toward Amasa.
9 Joab said, “Amasa, my cousin, how are you?” Then Joab took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand, so that he could greet him with a kiss. 10 Amasa did not see the dagger in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck it in Amasa's stomach, and his insides spilled out on the ground. Joab only struck him once, but Amasa was dying.
Joab and his brother Abishai went off to chase Sheba. 11 One of Joab's soldiers stood by Amasa and shouted, “If any of you are for Joab and David, then follow Joab!”
12 Amasa was still rolling in his own blood in the middle of the road. The soldier who had shouted noticed that everyone who passed by would stop, so he dragged Amasa off the road and covered him with a blanket. 13 After this, no one else stopped. They all walked straight past him on their way to help Joab capture Sheba.
Sheba Hides Out in the Town of Abel
14 Sheba had gone through all of the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All of his best soldiers met him there and followed him into the town.
15 Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made a dirt ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down.
A Wise Woman Saves the Town
16 A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall, “Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!” 17 When he came, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
She said, “Please, listen to what I have to say.”
“All right,” he said. “I'll listen.”
18 She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.’ The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem. 19 We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the Lord's people?”
20 Joab answered, “No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town! 21 That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone.”
The woman told Joab, “We will throw his head over the wall.”
22 She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab.
Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.
Another List of David's Officials
23 Joab was the commander of Israel's entire army.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of David's bodyguard.
24 Adoram was in charge of the slave-labor force.
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept government records.
25 Sheva was the secretary.
Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26 Ira from Jair was David's priest.
1 Tur bija gadījies arī kāds nekrietns vīrs, vārdā Šeba, Bihrija dēls, benjamīnietis; tas pūta tauri, vēstīdams: "Mums nav nekādas daļas gar Dāvidu, nedz arī kāda daļa gar Isaja dēla mantojumu! Ikviens no Israēla lai paliek savās teltīs!" 2 Tad visi Israēla vīri novērsās no Dāvida un sekoja Šebam, Bihrija dēlam, bet ikviens Jūdas vīrs vēl ciešāk turējās pie sava ķēniņa no Jordānas līdz Jeruzālemei. 3 Kad Dāvids bija atgriezies savā pilī Jeruzālemē, tad ķēniņš ņēma tās desmit sievas, kas bija blakussievas, kuras viņš bija atstājis, lai tās sargātu pili, un viņš tās novietoja kādā atsevišķā ēkā un gādāja tām iztiku, bet viņš vairs pie tām negāja. Tās kļuva cietumnieces līdz savai miršanas dienai un visu savu atlikušo mūžu nodzīvoja kā atraitnes. 4 Un ķēniņš pavēlēja Amasam: "Sasauc man Jūdas vīrus pēc trim dienām un esi arī tu pats te!" 5 Tad Amasa gāja, lai sasauktu kopā Jūdu, bet, kad viņš kavējās pāri noteiktajam laikam, ko ķēniņš bija viņam nolicis, 6 tad Dāvids sacīja Abišajam: "Nu mums Šeba, Bihrija dēls, nodarīs vairāk ļauna nekā Absaloms. Ņem sava kunga kalpus un dzenies viņam pakaļ, lai viņš netiek iekšā stipri nocietinātās pilsētās un neizzūd no mūsu acīm!" 7 Tad Abišaja vadībā no Jeruzālemes izgāja Joābs ar saviem karavīriem, kā arī miesassargi, krētieši un plētieši, un visi karavadoņi, lai vajātu Šebu, Bihrija dēlu. 8 Kad tie bija pie lielā akmens, kas atrodas Gibeonā, tad Amasa nāca tiem pretim, bet Joābs bija tērpies savā karavīra tērpā, un tam pāri bija apjozta josta ar zobenu pie viņa gurniem piestiprinātā makstī, un tas izslīdēja no maksts un nokrita zemē. 9 Tad Joābs sacīja Amasam: "Kā tev klājas, mans brāli?" Tai brīdī Joābs satvēra ar labo roku it stipri Amasu pie bārdas, lai viņu noskūpstītu. 10 Bet Amasa nesargājās no zobena, kas bija Joāba rokā; to Joābs iedūra tā viņa vēderā, ka viņa iekšas izgāzās zemē, un viņš mira, tā ka viņam vairs nevajadzēja otrreiz durt. Kamēr Joābs un viņa brālis Abišajs vajāja Šebu, Bihrija dēlu, 11 kāds jauneklis no Joāba karavīriem bija atstāts pie Amasas, lai sauktu: "Kas turas kopā ar Joābu un kas pieķēries Dāvidam, tas lai seko Joābam!" 12 Bet Amasa vēl vārtījās asinīs ceļa vidū. Kad šis vīrs redzēja, ka visi ļaudis tur apstājas, tad viņš Amasu no ceļa novēla uz tīrumu un pārsedza tam pāri drēbes, tāpēc ka viņš bija novērojis, ka ikviens, kas tam gāja garām, pie viņa apstājās. 13 Un, tikko tie bija viņu no ceļa novēluši nost, tā ikviens, pagājis garām, sekoja Joābam, lai vajātu Šebu, Bihrija dēlu. 14 Bet šis pārstaigāja visu Israēla cilšu novadus līdz Abelai un Bet-Maahai un visu Berima tiesu, un ļaudis pulcējās un sekoja viņam. 15 Tad tā karavīru saime, kura bija ar Joābu, nāca un viņu ielenca Abela-Bet-Maahā; un viņi uzmeta pret pilsētu valni, un tas pacēlās līdz pirmā mūra augstumam, un visi ļaudis, kas bija pie Joāba, lūkoja mūri graut un sagāzt. 16 Tad kāda gudra sieva uzkāpa uz pilsētas mūra un sauca no pilsētas: "Klausiet, klausiet! Lūdzu, sakiet Joābam: pienāc tuvu klāt še - šinī vietā, es gribu ar tevi runāt!" 17 Kad viņš bija pienācis tuvu pie tās klāt, tad sieva jautāja: "Vai tu esi Joābs?" Un viņš atbildēja: "Jā, es tas esmu!" Un viņa tam sacīja: "Uzklausi savas kalpones vārdus!" Un viņš atbildēja: "Es klausos!" 18 Tad viņa sacīja: "Senāk mēdza tā runāt: kas vaicā, lai vaicā Abelā! - Un tā tie viegli tika galā. 19 Šīs pilsētas ļaudis ir vieni no miermīlīgākiem un uzticamākiem Israēlā, bet tu pats esi tas, kas mēģini nopostīt pilsētu, pie tam tādu, kas ir Israēla māte. Kāpēc tu gribi iznīcināt Tā Kunga īpašumu?" 20 Tad Joābs atbildēja: "Es ir nedomāju to nedz izpostīt, nedz iznīcināt! 21 Tas nav tiesa! Bet viens vīrs no Efraima kalniem, vārdā Šeba, Bihrija dēls, bija savu roku pacēlis pret ķēniņu, pret Dāvidu; izdodiet man tikai vienīgi viņu, tad es aiziešu projām no pilsētas!" Tad sieva atbildēja Joābam: "Redzi, viņa galva pāri mūrim tiks pie tevis nomesta zemē!" 22 Un šī sieva gāja ar savu gudrību pie visiem iedzīvotājiem, un tie nogrieza Šebam, Bihrija dēlam, galvu un izmeta to ārā Joābam. Tad Joābs lika pūst tauri par zīmi, ka atkāpjas no pilsētas, un ļaudis izklīda visi pa savām dzīves vietām; bet Joābs atgriezās pie ķēniņa Jeruzālemē. 23 Un Joābs bija augstākais virspavēlnieks pār Israēla karaspēku, un Benaja, Jojada dēls, bija virspavēlnieks pār miesassardzi, pār krētiešiem un pār plētiešiem. 24 Un Adorāms bija pār tiem, kas klausības darbos, bet Jošafats, Ahiluda dēls, bija valsts padomnieks. 25 Un Ševa bija rakstvedis, bet Cadoks un Abjatārs bija priesteri. 26 Un arī Īra, Jaīra dēls, tāpat bija Dāvida priesteris.
