The Reign of David

Let, I pray thee, thy servant turn back again, and I die in mine own city, near the burying-place of my father and of my mother, --and lo, thy servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do thou to him that which is good in thine eyes.'

And the king saith, `With me doth Chimham go over, and I do to him that which is good in thine eyes, yea, all that thou dost fix on me I do to thee.'

And all the people pass over the Jordan, and the king hath passed over, and the king giveth a kiss to Barzillai, and blesseth him, and he turneth back to his place.

And the king passeth over to Gilgal, and Chimham hath passed over with him, and all the people of Judah, and they bring over the king, and also the half of the people of Israel.

And, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have they stolen thee--our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him).

And all the men of Judah answer against the men of Israel, `Because the king is near unto us, and why is this--ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the king's substance? a gift hath he lifted up to us?'

And the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, `Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.

And there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name is Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, `We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.'

And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem.

And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines--whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living.

And the king saith unto Amasa, `Call for me the men of Judah in three days, and thou, stand here,'

and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him;

and David saith unto Abishai, `Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself from our eye.'

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;

they are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle--a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.

And Joab saith to Amasa, `Art thou in peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;

and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that is in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth rib , and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated it to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.

And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, `He who hath delight in Joab, and he who is for David--after Joab!'

And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him--hath stood still.

When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.

And he passeth over through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and to all the Berites, and they are assembled, and go in also after him,

and they go in and lay siege against him, in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and cast up a mount against the city, and it standeth in a trench, and all the people who are are with Joab are destroying, to cause the wall to fall.

And a wise woman calleth out of the city, `Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.'

And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I am .' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.'

and she speaketh, saying, `They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.