TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
With him went Yo'av's men, the K'reti, the P'leti and all the experienced soldiers; they left Yerushalayim in pursuit of Sheva the son of Bikhri.
Berean Standard Bible
So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.
American Standard Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
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.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And there went out after him Ioabs men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mightie men: and they departed out of Ierusalem, to follow after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.
Young's Literal Translation
And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri;
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In the KJVVerse 8,562 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Samuel 20 verses 4–13
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.
We have here Amasa's fall just as he began to rise. He was nephew to David (Sa2 17:25), had been Absalom's general and commander-in-chief of his rebellious army, but, that being routed, he came over into David's interest, upon a promise that he should be general of his forces instead of Joab. Sheba's rebellion gives David an occasion to fulfil his promise sooner than he could wish, but Joab's envy and emulation rendered its fulfillment of ill consequence both to him and David.
I. Amasa has a commission to raise forces for the suppressing of Sheba's rebellion, and is ordered to raise them with all possible expedition, Sa2 20:4. It seems, the men of Judah, though forward to attend the king's triumphs, were backward enough to fight his battles; else, when they were all in a body attending him to Jerusalem, they might immediately have pursued Sheba, and have crushed that cockatrice in the egg. But most love a loyalty, as well as a religion, that is cheap and easy. Many boast of their being akin to Christ that yet are very loth to venture for him. Amasa is sent to assemble the men of Judah within three days; but he finds them so backward and unready that he cannot do it within the time appointed (Sa2 20:5), though the promotion of Amasa, who had been their general under Absalom, was very obliging to them, and a proof of the clemency of David's government.
II. Upon Amasa's delay, Abishai, the brother of Joab, is ordered to take the guards and standing forces, and with them to pursue Sheba (Sa2 20:6, Sa2 20:7), for nothing could be of more dangerous consequence than to give him time. David gives these orders to Abishai, because he resolves to mortify Joab, and degrade him, not so much, I doubt, for the blood of Abner, which he had shed basely, as for the blood of Absalom, which he had shed justly and honourably. "Now (says bishop Hall) Joab smarteth for a loyal disobedience. How slippery are the stations of earthly honours and subject to continual mutability! Happy are those who are in favour with him in whom there is no shadow of change." Joab, without orders, though in disgrace, goes along with his brother, knowing he might be serviceable to the public, or perhaps now meditating the removal of his rival.
III. Joab, near Gibeon, meets with Amasa, and barbarously murders him, Sa2 20:8-10. It should seem, the great stone in Gibeon was the place appointed for the general rendezvous. There the rivals met; and Amasa, relying upon his commission, went before, as general both of the new-raised forces which he had got together, and of the veteran troops which Abishai had brought in; but Joab there took an opportunity to kill him with his own hand; and, 1. He did it subtilely, and with contrivance, and not upon a sudden provocation. He girded his coat about him, that it might not hang in his way, and girded his belt upon his coat, that his sword might be the readier to his hand; he also put his sword in a sheath too big for it, that, whenever he pleased, it might, upon a little shake, fall out, as if it fell by accident, and so he might take it into his hand, unsuspected, as if he were going to return it into the scabbard, when he designed to sheath it in the bowels of Amasa. The more there is of plot in a sin the worse it is. 2. He did it treacherously, and under pretence of friendship, that Amasa might not be upon his guard. He called him brother, for they were own cousins, enquired of his welfare (Art thou in health?) and took him by the beard, as one he was free with, to kiss him, while with the drawn sword in his other hand he was aiming at his heart. Was this done like a gentleman, like a soldier, like a general? No, but like a villain, like a base coward. Just thus he slew Abner, and went unpunished for it, which encouraged him to do the like again. 3. He did it impudently, not in a corner, but at the head of his troops, and in their sight, as one that was neither ashamed nor afraid to do it, that was so hardened in blood and murders that he could neither blush nor tremble. 4. He did it at one blow, gave the fatal push with a good-will, as we say, so that he needed not strike him again; with such a strong and steady hand he gave this one stroke that it was fatal. 5. He did it in contempt and defiance of David and the commission he had given to Amasa; for that commission was the only ground of his quarrel with him, so that David was struck at through the side of Amasa, and was, in effect, told to his face that Joab would be general, in spite of him. 6. He did it very unseasonably, when they were going against a common enemy and were concerned to be unanimous. This ill-timed quarrel might have scattered their forces, or engaged them one against another, and so have made them all an easy prey to Sheba. So contentedly could Joab sacrifice the interest both of king and kingdom to his personal revenge.
IV. Joab immediately resumes his general's place, and takes care to lead the army on in pursuit of Sheba, that, if possible, he might prevent any prejudice to the common cause by what he had done. 1. He leaves one of his men to make proclamation to the forces that were coming up that they were still engaged in David's cause, but under Joab's command, Sa2 20:11. He knew what an interest he had in the soldiery, and how many favoured him rather than Amasa, who had been a traitor, was now a turn-coat, and had never been successful; on this he boldly relied, and called them all to follow him. What man of Judah would not be for his old king and his old general? But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a heavy load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger. Surely his conscience was seared with a hot iron. 2. care is taken to remove the dead body out of the way, because at that they made a stand (as Sa2 2:23), and to cover it with a cloth, Sa2 20:12, Sa2 20:13. Wicked men think themselves safe in their wickedness if they can but conceal it from the eye of the world: if it be hidden, it is with them as if it were never done. But the covering of blood with a cloth cannot stop its cry in God's ear for vengeance, or make it the less loud. However, since this was no time to arraign Joab for what he had done, and the common safety called for expedition, it was prudent to remove that which retarded the march of the army; and then they all went on after Joab, while David, who no doubt had notice soon brought him of this tragedy, could not but reflect upon it with regret that he had not formerly done justice upon Joab for the death of Abner, and that he now had exposed Amasa by preferring him. And perhaps his conscience reminded him of his employing Joab in the murder of Uriah, which had helped to harden him in cruelty.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 4–13. Public domain.
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SUMMARY
Second Samuel 20:7 masterfully depicts the immediate and decisive military mobilization initiated by King David to quash the burgeoning rebellion led by Sheba, son of Bichri. This verse meticulously details the composition of David's loyal forces—specifically Joab's personal contingent, the elite Cherethites and Pelethites, and the renowned mighty men—as they swiftly depart Jerusalem. Their urgent mission is to pursue and neutralize this new threat, which jeopardizes the fragile unity of the recently restored kingdom, underscoring both the gravity of the crisis and the strategic importance of their swift action.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several effective literary devices to convey its message. Enumeration is prominently featured, as the text meticulously lists the specific military contingents—"Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men"—to emphasize the comprehensive and formidable nature of the force dispatched. This detailed listing also functions as a form of Synecdoche, where "Joab's men" represent Joab's pervasive personal influence and effective command, and the named elite units collectively stand for the full might and professional core of David's army. The rapid succession of actions conveyed by the repetition of the verb "went out" ("And there went out... and they went out...") creates a powerful sense of Urgency and rapid Pacing, effectively communicating the immediate and decisive nature of the response to Sheba's rebellion. This swift, organized action stands in stark contrast to Amasa's earlier delay, subtly highlighting the efficiency and determination of the forces now under Joab's de facto command.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This passage profoundly underscores the biblical theme of the constant struggle against forces of division and rebellion, both within the earthly kingdom and, by extension, within the human heart and the spiritual realm. David's swift and resolute action to quell Sheba's uprising reflects a divinely ordained responsibility for leaders to maintain order, preserve unity, and protect the people from chaos and fragmentation. The unwavering loyalty of David's elite forces, even amidst profound internal strife and political maneuvering, points to the profound importance of steadfast commitment to righteous authority. Theologically, the narrative implicitly teaches that God often uses human instruments, even flawed ones like Joab, to accomplish His sovereign purposes in preserving societal order and upholding justice. It serves as a potent reminder that unchecked rebellion, whether against legitimate earthly authority or against divine principles, inevitably leads to destruction and must be confronted decisively for the sake of peace and flourishing.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The immediate and resolute response to Sheba's rebellion in 2 Samuel 20:7 offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary life. Just as King David understood the imperative of swiftly addressing divisive forces to preserve the integrity and unity of his kingdom, so too must individuals and communities recognize and courageously confront sources of disunity, whether they manifest in families, churches, workplaces, or broader society. Unchecked dissent, corrosive gossip, or self-serving agendas can rapidly escalate, tearing apart the very fabric of relationships and collective purpose. This passage calls us to cultivate a profound loyalty, not to fleeting personal ambition or tribalism, but to shared values, divine principles, and righteous leadership. It challenges us to embody the spirit of David's "mighty men and women"—individuals of integrity, courage, and steadfast commitment to peace and unity, willing to stand firmly against anything that seeks to divide or destabilize. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful reminder that effective leadership often necessitates decisive action, even when such decisions are difficult or unpopular, for the ultimate protection of the common good and the maintenance of order.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the Cherethites and Pelethites so important to David?
Answer: The Cherethites and Pelethites were absolutely crucial to David because they constituted his personal, professional, and supremely loyal bodyguard. Unlike the tribal levies, whose allegiance could be fluid and subject to regional or familial ties (as vividly illustrated by the tribal disputes after Absalom's rebellion in 2 Samuel 19:40-43), these elite, likely foreign, mercenaries were bound directly to David by a personal oath. Their loyalty was exclusively to the king himself, not to any internal Israelite faction or tribal interest. This made them an exceptionally reliable and indispensable force for maintaining order, suppressing internal rebellions, and ensuring David's personal safety and the enduring stability of his throne, especially during turbulent times of internal unrest like Sheba's rebellion. They functioned as the direct instruments of the king's will, ensuring his authority was upheld without the complications of tribal bias or shifting loyalties.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The swift and decisive action of David's loyal forces in 2 Samuel 20:7 serves as a profound foreshadowing of the ultimate and perfect King, Jesus Christ, who effectively and eternally quells all rebellion against God. Just as David's earthly kingdom faced persistent internal threats from figures like Sheba, so too does humanity experience the pervasive rebellion of sin, the tyranny of death, and the insidious schemes of Satan against the divine order. Jesus, the true Son of David and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came not merely to suppress a local uprising but to utterly defeat the cosmic forces of rebellion and establish an everlasting kingdom. His "mighty men" are not a mercenary guard, but His redeemed disciples and the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out His mission of reconciliation, peace, and truth. Through His crucifixion and glorious resurrection, Christ decisively disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them publicly (Colossians 2:15). He is the one who gathers all things into Himself, breaking down the dividing walls of hostility and establishing a unified kingdom of peace and righteousness (Ephesians 2:14). Ultimately, the pursuit of Sheba points to Christ's ongoing sovereign work to bring all things under His benevolent rule, ensuring that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, thereby establishing an eternal kingdom free from all rebellion, division, and chaos.