World English Bible
- There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
- So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
- 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 custody and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
- So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him.
- David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
- Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
- When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.
- Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
- But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
- One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
- Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
- When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
- He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.
- They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.
- Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
- He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.”
- Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.
- I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
- Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
- The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
- Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
- Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,
- Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,
- Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
- and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
Daily Devotional
2 Samuel 20 – “A Whisper, a Sword, and a Wise Woman at the Wall”
Reflection
The civil war with Absalom is scarcely over when another fissure
appears. Sheba’s words echo the tribal slogan that will later split the
kingdom under Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:16). The Hebrew labels Sheba an ish
beliyyaʿal—“a worthless / law-less man” (see Deuteronomy 13:13). Yet his
complaint rings true for many northern Israelites; resentment toward the
Judah-centered court has been smoldering since Saul’s fall.
Historical window
Sheba is a Benjamite, Saul’s tribe. Archaeology shows that Benjaminite
towns (Gibeah, Geba, Mizpah) continued to prosper after Saul, hinting
that David’s rule never completely won their hearts.
Heart-searching question
Which latent grievances in my own life are just waiting for a trumpet
blast to flare up again? Christ calls me to “make every effort to keep
the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
Cross-references
• Judges 19:22; 1 Samuel 2:12 – other uses of beliyyaʿal
• Psalm 133 – God’s delight in unity
Cultural note
In the ancient Near East, taking a king’s harem was a public claim to
the throne (cf. 2 Samuel 16:21-22). By isolating these women, David both
protects them from further abuse and signals that the royal bed is
politically “tainted.” Their silent tragedy reminds us that sexual sin
leaves lasting fallout far beyond the original act.
Spiritual application
Sin can be forgiven, but consequences ripple. The gospel offers healing;
still, broken trust often requires patient, tangible repair (Galatians
6:1-2).
Leadership lens
Amasa’s failure may be innocent (distance, logistics) or political (fear
of Joab, mixed loyalties). Either way, delayed obedience becomes
disobedience in a crisis. The New Testament echoes this urgency: “Today,
if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).
Hebrew nuance
Joab’s dagger is called ḥereb be-ḥǎgōrātō—“the sword in his garment.” He
literally lets it “fall out,” a practiced trick. The verse’s
terseness—verb, object, blood—mirrors the sudden act.
Theological tension
Joab is ruthless, yet his efficiency saves the realm. Church fathers
such as Augustine saw in Joab a warning: good ends cannot justify bloody
means; only Christ can unite justice and mercy.
Self-examination
When do I hide ambition behind friendly words? Proverbs 27:6 reminds us,
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies
kisses.”
Cultural and archaeological glimpse
Abel Beth-Maacah (modern Tell Abil el-Qamh) sits near the Lebanon
border. Excavations have uncovered Late Bronze and Iron Age
fortifications and cultic objects—evidence of a respected, possibly
neutral, “city of wisdom” famed for arbitration.
The woman’s argument
• Historical identity: “We are peaceful and loyal in Israel.”
• Theological appeal: “Why destroy the LORD’s heritage?”
• Practical offer: “We will throw you the rebel’s head.”
Literary device
Her speech forms a mini-chiasm (A identity – B accusation – B′
justification – A′ proposal), showcasing ordered reason amid chaos.
Christological whisper
A lone intercessor negotiates peace by offering the life of one man to
save the many—faint but real foreshadowing of the gospel (John
11:50).
Application
Peacemaking often begins with a clear, courageous voice. Where might God
be calling me to speak wisdom from the “wall” of my workplace, church,
or family?
Suggested hymn
“Let Your Heart Be Broken” (Bryan Jeffery Leech, 1964) – a plea to
become channels of God’s peace.
Biblical theme
Institutional health matters. Revivals of the heart also need structures
that serve, not exploit, God’s people (see Acts 6:1-7).
Reflection for today
Pray for administrators, civil servants, pastors, and ministry teams;
good governance is a quiet gift of God.
Cross-reference sampler for deeper study
Deuteronomy 13:12-18; Judges 9; Ecclesiastes 9:14-18; Matthew 5:9;
Romans 16:17-20; James 3:17-18.
Closing Prayer
Sovereign Lord,
You see every fault line in our homes, churches, and nations. Forgive us
when our words spark division and when our ambitions wound others. Give
us hearts quick to obey, lips ready to speak peace, and hands skilled to
build. Raise up wise women and men in our day, that Christ’s body may be
one and the world may know Your saving love.
Through Jesus, the true Son of David who unites all tribes in Himself,
we pray. Amen.