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1. Now a wicked man named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and said, "We have no share in David; we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse! Every man go home, O Israel!"
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1. And there H8033 happened H7122 to be there a man H376 of Belial H1100 , whose name H8034 was Sheba H7652 , the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 , a Benjamite H1145 : and he blew H8628 a trumpet H7782 , and said H559 , We have no H369 part H2506 in David H1732 , neither H3808 have we inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 : every man H376 to his tents H168 , O Israel H3478 .
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2. So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
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2. So every H3605 man H376 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 from after H4480 H310 David H1732 , and followed H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 : but the men H376 of Judah H3063 cleaved H1692 unto their king H4428 , from H4480 Jordan H3383 even to H5704 Jerusalem H3389 .
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3. Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. They remained in confinement until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.
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3. And David H1732 came H935 to H413 his house H1004 at Jerusalem H3389 ; and the king H4428 took H3947 H853 the ten H6235 women H802 his concubines H6370 , whom H834 he had left H5117 to keep H8104 the house H1004 , and put H5414 them in ward H1004 H4931 , and fed H3557 them , but went H935 not H3808 in unto H413 them . So they were H1961 shut up H6887 unto H5704 the day H3117 of their death H4191 , living H2424 in widowhood H491 .
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4. Then the king said to Amasa, "Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, and you be present here with them too."
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4. Then said H559 the king H4428 to H413 Amasa H6021 , Assemble H2199 me H853 the men H376 of Judah H3063 within three H7969 days H3117 , and be thou H859 here H6311 present H5975 .
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5. So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.
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5. So Amasa H6021 went H1980 to assemble H2199 the men of H853 Judah H3063 : but he tarried longer H3186 than H4480 the set time H4150 which H834 he had appointed H3259 him.
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6. Then David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord's servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure fortified cities for himself and get away from us."
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6. And David H1732 said H559 to H413 Abishai H52 , Now H6258 shall Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 do us more harm H3415 than H4480 did Absalom H53 : take H3947 thou H859 H853 thy lord H113 's servants H5650 , and pursue H7291 after H310 him, lest H6435 he get H4672 him fenced H1219 cities H5892 , and escape H5337 H5869 us.
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7. So Joab's men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
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7. And there went out H3318 after H310 him Joab H3097 's men H376 , and the Cherethites H3774 , and the Pelethites H6432 , and all H3605 the mighty men H1368 : and they went out H3318 of Jerusalem H4480 H3389 , to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
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8. When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out.
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8. When they H1992 were at H5973 the great H1419 stone H68 which H834 is in Gibeon H1391 , Amasa H6021 went H935 before H6440 them . And Joab H3097 's garment H4055 that he had put on H3830 was girded H2296 unto H5921 him , and upon H5921 it a girdle H2289 with a sword H2719 fastened H6775 upon H5921 his loins H4975 in the sheath H8593 thereof ; and as he H1931 went forth H3318 it fell out H5307 .
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9. Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa's beard as if to greet him with a kiss.
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9. And Joab H3097 said H559 to Amasa H6021 , Art thou H859 in health H7965 , my brother H251 ? And Joab H3097 took H270 Amasa H6021 by the beard H2206 with the right H3225 hand H3027 to kiss H5401 him.
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10. Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab's other hand, and Joab stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa's intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.
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10. But Amasa H6021 took no H3808 heed H8104 to the sword H2719 that H834 was in Joab H3097 's hand H3027 : so he smote H5221 him therewith in H413 the fifth H2570 rib , and shed out H8210 his bowels H4578 to the ground H776 , and struck H8138 him not H3808 again ; and he died H4191 . So Joab H3097 and Abishai H52 his brother H251 pursued H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
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11. One of Joab's soldiers who stood over Amasa said, "Whoever is for Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!"
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11. And one H376 of Joab's men H4480 H5288 H3097 stood H5975 by H5921 him , and said H559 , He H4310 that H834 favoreth H2654 Joab H3097 , and he H4310 that H834 is for David H1732 , let him go after H310 Joab H3097 .
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12. Amasa was squirming in his own blood in the middle of the path, and this man had noticed that all the soldiers stopped. Having noticed that everyone who came across Amasa stopped, the man pulled him away from the path and into the field and threw a garment over him.
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12. And Amasa H6021 wallowed H1556 in blood H1818 in the midst H8432 of the highway H4546 . And when the man H376 saw H7200 that H3588 all H3605 the people H5971 stood still H5975 , he removed H5437 H853 Amasa H6021 out of H4480 the highway H4546 into the field H7704 , and cast H7993 a cloth H899 upon H5921 him, when H834 he saw H7200 that every H3605 one that came H935 by H5921 him stood still H5975 .
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13. Once he had removed Amasa from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
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13. When H834 he was removed H3014 out of H4480 the highway H4546 , all H3605 the people H376 went on H5674 after H310 Joab H3097 , to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
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14. Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, they too joined him.
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14. And he went through H5674 all H3605 the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 unto Abel H59 , and to Beth H1038 -maachah , and all H3605 the Berites H1276 : and they were gathered together H7035 , and went H935 also H637 after H310 him.
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15. So Joab's men came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab's soldiers were trying to break through the wall so that it would collapse,
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15. And they came H935 and besieged H6696 H5921 him in Abel of Beth H62 -maachah , and they cast up H8210 a bank H5550 against H413 the city H5892 , and it stood H5975 in the trench H2426 : and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 Joab H3097 battered H7843 the wall H2346 , to throw it down H5307 .
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16. a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, 'Come near so that I may speak to you.'"
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16. Then cried H7121 a wise H2450 woman H802 out of H4480 the city H5892 , Hear H8085 , hear H8085 ; say H559 , I pray you H4994 , unto H413 Joab H3097 , Come near H7126 hither H5704 H2008 , that I may speak H1696 with H413 thee.
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17. When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He replied, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "Go ahead. I'm listening."
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17. And when he was come near H7126 unto H413 her , the woman H802 said H559 , Art thou H859 Joab H3097 ? And he answered H559 , I H589 am he . Then she said H559 unto him Hear H8085 the words H1697 of thine handmaid H519 . And he answered H559 , I H595 do hear H8085 .
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18. She said, "In the past they would always say, 'Let them inquire in Abel,' and that is how they settled things.
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18. Then she spoke H559 , saying H559 , They were wont H1696 to speak H1696 in old time H7223 , saying H559 , They shall surely ask H7592 H7592 counsel at Abel H59 : and so H3651 they ended H8552 the matter .
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19. I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city in Israel. Why should you swallow up the LORD's inheritance?"
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19. I H595 am one of them that are peaceable H7999 and faithful H539 in Israel H3478 : thou H859 seekest H1245 to destroy H4191 a city H5892 and a mother H517 in Israel H3478 : why H4100 wilt thou swallow up H1104 the inheritance H5159 of the LORD H3068 ?
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20. Joab answered, "Get serious! I don't want to swallow up or destroy anything!
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20. And Joab H3097 answered H6030 and said H559 , Far be it H2486 , far be it H2486 from me, that H518 I should swallow up H1104 or H518 destroy H7843 .
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21. That's not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Joab, "This very minute his head will be thrown over the wall to you!"
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21. The matter H1697 is not H3808 so H3651 : but H3588 a man H376 of mount H4480 H2022 Ephraim H669 , Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 by name H8034 , hath lifted up H5375 his hand H3027 against the king H4428 , even against David H1732 : deliver H5414 him only H905 , and I will depart H1980 from H4480 H5921 the city H5892 . And the woman H802 said H559 unto H413 Joab H3097 , Behold H2009 , his head H7218 shall be thrown H7993 to H413 thee over H1157 the wall H2346 .
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22. Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba's head and threw it out to Joab. Joab blew the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
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22. Then the woman H802 went H935 unto H413 all H3605 the people H5971 in her wisdom H2451 . And they cut off H3772 H853 the head H7218 of Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 , and cast it out H7993 to H413 Joab H3097 . And he blew H8628 a trumpet H7782 , and they retired H6327 from H4480 H5921 the city H5892 , every man H376 to his tent H168 . And Joab H3097 returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 unto H413 the king H4428 .
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23. Now Joab was the general in command of all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoida was over the Kerethites and the Perethites.
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23. Now Joab H3097 was over H413 all H3605 the host H6635 of Israel H3478 : and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 was over H5921 the Cherethites H3774 and over H5921 the Pelethites H6432 :
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24. Adoniram was supervisor of the work crews. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the secretary.
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24. And Adoram H151 was over H5921 the tribute H4522 : and Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Ahilud H286 was recorder H2142 :
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25. Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
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25. And Sheva H7724 was scribe H5608 : and Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 were the priests H3548 :
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26. Ira the Jairite was David's personal priest.
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26. And Ira H5896 also H1571 the Jairite H2972 was H1961 a chief ruler H3548 about David H1732 .
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