2 Samuel20

Following Absalom's defeat, a Benjamite named Sheba incites a new rebellion, drawing away most of Israel from David. King David dispatches Amasa to gather Judah's forces, but Amasa's delay leads David to send Joab and Abishai in pursuit of Sheba. Joab, encountering Amasa, treacherously murders him and then continues the chase.

Sheba's Rebellion Begins

1
There happened to be there a scoundrel whose name was Sheva the son of Bikhri, a Binyamini. He sounded the shofar and said, "We have no share in David, no inheritance in the son of Yishai; so, Isra'el, every man to his tent!" ​
2
All the men of Isra'el left off following David and went after Sheva the son of Bikhri. But the men of Y'hudah stuck with their king, from the Yarden to Yerushalayim. ​
3
When David arrived at his palace in Yerushalayim, the king took the ten women who were his concubines, whom he had left to care for the palace, and put them under guard. He provided for their needs but never slept with them again. They were kept in confinement until the day of their death, living like widows with their husband still alive. ​

Joab Executes Amasa and Takes Command

4
The king said to 'Amasa, "Summon the men of Y'hudah to come to me within three days; and you, be here too." ​
5
'Amasa went to summon the men of Y'hudah but took longer than the time he had been given.
6
David said to Avishai, "Sheva the son of Bikhri is going to do us more harm than Avshalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, so that he won't take over fortified cities and escape us." ​
7
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.
8
On arrival at the big rock in Giv'on, 'Amasa came to meet them. Yo'av was wearing his battle clothes, over which he had girded a belt with a sheathed sword; but as he came forward it fell out. ​
9
Yo'av said to 'Amasa, "Is it going well with you, my brother? Then, with his right hand, Yo'av took 'Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
10
'Amasa took no notice of the sword in Yo'av's hand, so Yo'av stabbed him in the groin. His insides poured out on the ground, and he died without being stabbed a second time. Yo'av and Avishai his brother continued in pursuit of Sheva the son of Bikhri. ​
11
One of Yo'av's young men standing by Yo'av said, "Whoever is on Yo'av's side, whoever is for David - let him follow Yo'av."
12
'Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road; so that as the troops came up, they all halted there. When the man saw that all the people were standing still, he dragged 'Amasa off the road into the field and threw a cloak over him.
13
Once he had been removed from the road, all the troops went on after Yo'av, to pursue Sheva the son of Bikhri.

The Siege of Abel and the Wise Woman

14
Sheva went through all the tribes of Isra'el, to Avel and Beit-Ma'akhah, and to all the Berim; they assembled and followed him.
15
Yo'av's troops came and put him under siege in Avel of Beit-Ma'akhah - they put up a ramp in the moat against the city wall; and all the people with Yo'av battered the wall in order to bring it down.
16
Then a wise woman in the city shouted, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Yo'av, 'Come over here, so that I can speak with you.'"
17
He approached her, and the woman asked, "Are you Yo'av?" He answered, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to what your servant has to say." He answered, "I'm listening."
18
Then she said, "In the old days they used to say, 'They will ask advice at Avel'; and that would end the discussion.
19
We are among those in Isra'el who are peaceful and faithful. Why are you destroying a city and a mother in Isra'el? Why swallow up the inheritance of ADONAI?" ​
20
Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything!
21
That's not how it is. Rather, a man from the hills of Efrayim, Sheva the son of Bikhri, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Just turn him over to me, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Yo'av, "All right, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
22
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. They cut off the head of Sheva the son of Bikhri and threw it out to Yo'av. So he sounded the shofar, and they left the city, sending each man to his tent; while Yo'av returned to the king in Yerushalayim. ​

David's Officials Reinstated

23
Once again Yo'av was commander over the whole army of Isra'el, while B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada was over the K'reti and P'leti, ​
24
Adoram was in charge of forced labor, Y'hoshafat the son of Achilud was secretary of state,
25
Sh'va was recorder, Tzadok and Evyatar were cohanim,
26
and 'Ira the Ya'iri was David's cohen.

Study Notes for 2 Samuel 20

Verse 1

Sheba, a Benjamite, uses the recent tribal strife and the dismissal of the northern tribes (Israel) to launch a new revolt. His cry, 'We have no part in David,' echoes the anti-monarchic sentiment and sectional rivalry that plagued David’s reign.

Verse 2

The speed with which 'every man of Israel' abandoned David demonstrates the fragility of the unified kingdom, which had been only nominally restored after Absalom’s defeat. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal.

Verse 3

David’s action regarding the ten concubines (who had been defiled by Absalom in 16:21-22) was necessary to prevent any future political claim being made through them. By sequestering them, David ensured they lived in perpetual widowhood, neutralizing them as political pawns.

Verse 4

David appoints Amasa, his nephew and former commander of Absalom’s army (19:13), to lead the pursuit. This move was intended both to test Amasa’s loyalty and to bypass the problematic Joab, whom David had promised to replace.

Verse 6

Amasa’s delay (v. 5) prompts David to act decisively, fearing that Sheba's rebellion could quickly become more damaging than Absalom's due to its underlying sectionalism. David instructs Abishai, Joab's brother, to lead the pursuit.

Verse 8

The description of the sword mechanism suggests premeditation. Joab likely arranged for the sword to 'fall out' so that when he retrieved it, he could approach Amasa unarmed, making the fatal attack appear sudden or accidental in the chaos of meeting.

Verse 10

Joab murders Amasa under the guise of an affectionate greeting, eliminating the man David had appointed as his successor. This ruthless action secured Joab’s position as commander of the army, demonstrating that David lacked the power to effectively depose him.

Verse 19

The wise woman appeals to Joab’s sense of covenant justice. Calling the city 'a mother in Israel' signifies that it is a prominent, loyal administrative center, and destroying it would be an attack on the foundational order of the kingdom.

Verse 22

The resolution highlights the power of wise counsel and diplomacy over indiscriminate military destruction. The city’s inhabitants prioritize their collective safety by executing the rebel leader and delivering his head, immediately ending the siege.

Verse 23

This appendix, listing David's chief administrators, serves as a literary device to demonstrate that after the threats of Absalom and Sheba, the monarchy is securely re-established. Joab retains his position despite his recent acts of murder and insubordination.

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