1 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. 2 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.
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 Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present. 5 So Amasa 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 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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. 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 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. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 ¶ And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, 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 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? 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 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. 22 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.
23 ¶ Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder: 25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.
Šebas dumpis
1 Gadījās, ka tur bija kāds nelietīgs vīrs – benjāminietis Šeba, Bihrī dēls. Tas pūta ragu un sauca:
“Nav mums daļas pie Dāvida,
nedz mantojuma pie Jišaja dēla –
uz savām teltīm, Israēl!”
2 Tad visi israēlieši atkrita no Dāvida un sekoja Šebam, Bihrī dēlam, bet visi Jūdas vīri cieši sekoja ķēniņam no Jardānas līdz pat Jeruzālemei. 3 Atgriezies savā namā Jeruzālemē, ķēniņš Dāvids ņēma tās desmit blakussievas, ko bija atstājis pieskatīt māju, un aizsūtīja tās uz apsargātu namu. Viņš tās uzturēja, bet negāja pie tām, un viņas palika ieslēgtas līdz pat nāves dienai, dzīvodamas kā atraitnes.
4 Ķēniņš teica Amāsam: “Trīs dienu laikā sasauc pie manis Jūdas vīrus un esi klāt arī pats!” 5 Amāsa aizgāja sasaukt Jūdu, bet nokavēja laiku, kas tam bija noteikts. 6 Tad Dāvids teica Abīšajam: “Nu gan Šeba, Bihrī dēls, mums nodarīs vairāk ļauna nekā Abšāloms! Ņem sava kunga kalpus un dzenies tam pakaļ, ka viņš nesasniedz nocietinātās pilsētas un mums neizsprūk.” 7 Viņam līdzi devās Joāba vīri, krētieši un peletieši, un visi spēkavīri. Viņi atstāja Jeruzālemi, lai dzītos pakaļ Šebam, Bihrī dēlam. 8 Kad viņi nonāca pie lielā akmens, kas Gibeonā, Amāsa nāca tiem pretī. Joābs bija kara tērpā, kam pāri uz gurniem apjozta siksna ar zobenu makstī. Kad viņš gāja tam klāt, zobens izkrita. 9 Joābs sacīja Amāsam: “Miers tev, mans brāli!” – un ar labo roku tvēra Amāsu aiz bārdas, lai viņu skūpstītu. 10 Amāsa nesargājās no zobena, kas Joābam rokā, un viņš to iegrūda Amāsam vēderā – iekšas tam izgāzās zemē, un ar to pašu dūrienu tas bija beigts. Tad Joābs un viņa brālis Abīšajs dzinās pakaļ Šebam, Bihrī dēlam. 11 Kāds no Joāba puišiem nostājās līdzās Amāsam un sauca: “Kurš ar Joābu un Dāvidu, lai seko Joābam!” 12 Amāsa gulēja asinīs lielceļa vidū. Kad tas vīrs redzēja, ka ļaudis tur apstājas, viņš novēla Amāsu no lielceļa uz lauka un uzmeta tam virsū drēbes, jo bija pamanījis, ka visi, kas iet garām, tur paliek stāvam. 13 Kad nu Amāsa bija nogrūsts no ceļa, visi gāja tai vietai pāri un, sekojot Joābam, dzinās pakaļ Šebam, Bihrī dēlam.
14 Šeba izgāja cauri visām Israēla ciltīm līdz Ābelai, Bēt-Maahai un bēriešiem – pulcināja tos, un tie viņam sekoja. 15 Tad Joāba pulki nāca un aplenca viņus Ābel-Bēt-Maahā, uzbēra valni pie paša pilsētas mūra un grāva sienu, lai to nogāztu. 16 Te kāda gudra sieva no pilsētas sauca: “Klausieties, klausieties, sakiet jel Joābam: nāc šurp, man ar tevi runāšana!” 17 Viņš pienāca klāt, un tā sieva prasīja: “Tu esi Joābs?” Viņš teica: “Jā.” Tā viņam sacīja: “Klausies, ko tava kalpone sacīs!” Viņš teica: “Es klausos.” 18 Tad šī sacīja: “Runāt tā runāja sendienās: jautājiet padomu Ābelā! – un ar to viss bija izlemts! 19 Mēs – miermīlīgi un uzticami israēlieši, bet tu grasies postīt pilsētu, kas Israēlam kā māte! Kādēļ tu gribi aprīt Kunga mantojumu?”
20 Joābs atbildēja: “Nemūžam, nemūžam! – ne es to rīšu, ne es to postīšu. 21 Pavisam cita lieta – tas vīrs no Efraima kalniem, Šeba, Bihrī dēls!
Viņš pacēlis roku pret ķēniņu, pret Dāvidu! Izdodiet man tikai viņu, un es došos no pilsētas prom!” Tā sieva sacīja Joābam: “Re, pāri mūrim tev nometīs viņa galvu!” 22 Tad tā sieva ar savu gudrību vērsās pie visiem ļaudīm, un viņi nocirta galvu Šebam, Bihrī dēlam, un nometa to Joābam. Viņš pūta ragu, un tie atkāpās no pilsētas un izklīda pa savām teltīm. Joābs atgriezās Jeruzālemē pie ķēniņa.
23 Joābs bija visa Israēla karaspēka virspavēlnieks; Benājāhu, Jehojādas dēls, bija pār krētiešiem un peletiešiem; 24 Adorāms – pār klaušiniekiem; Jehošāfāts, Ahīlūda dēls, bija lietvedis, 25 Ševa – rakstvedis, Cādoks un Ebjātārs – priesteri, 26 un arī jaīrietis Īra bija Dāvida priesteris.
