1
And there happened to be there an ish of worthlessness, and his name was Sheva son of Bikhri, a Binyamini. And he blew the shofar and said: “We have no portion in Daviyd, and we have no inheritance in the son of Yishai. Each ish to his tents, Yisra’el!”
2
And every ish of Yisra’el went up from after Daviyd and followed Sheva son of Bikhri. But the ish of Yehudah clung to their king, from the Yarden even to Yerushalayim.
3
And Daviyd came to his House at Yerushalayim. And the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to guard the House, and placed them in a guarded house and sustained them, but he did not go in to them. And they were shut away until the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4
And the king said to Amasa: “Call together the ish of Yehudah for me within three days, and you yourself stand here.”
5
And Amasa went to call Yehudah together, but he delayed beyond the appointed time that he had appointed for him.
6
And Daviyd said to Avishai: “Now Sheva son of Bikhri will do us more evil than Avshalom. You take the servants of your master and pursue after him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape from our eyes.”
7
And the men of Yoav went out after him, and the Kereti, and the Peleti, and all the mighty men. And they went out from Yerushalayim to pursue after Sheva son of Bikhri.
8
When they were beside the great stone that is in Givon, Amasa came before their face. And Yoav was girded with his military garment, and upon it was a belt with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath. And as he went forward, it fell out.
9
And Yoav said to Amasa: “Is there shalom with you, my brother?” And Yoav took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10
But Amasa did not guard himself against the sword that was in the hand of Yoav. And he struck him with it in the belly, and poured out his inward parts to the earth, and did not strike him again. And he died. And Yoav and Avishai his brother pursued after Sheva son of Bikhri.
11
And one ish from the young men of Yoav stood over him and said: “Whoever delights in Yoav, and whoever is for Daviyd, let him follow Yoav.”
12
And Amasa was wallowing in blood in the midst of the highway. And the ish saw that all the people stood still, so he moved Amasa from the highway into the field and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him stood still.
13
When he had removed him from the highway, every ish passed on after Yoav to pursue after Sheva son of Bikhri.
14
And he passed through all the tribes of Yisra’el to Avel, and to Beit-Maakhah, and all the Berim. And they gathered themselves together and also went after him.
15
And they came and besieged him in Avel Beit-Maakhah. And they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart. And all the people who were with Yoav were battering the wall to cause it to fall.
16
And a wise ishah called from the city: “Hear! Hear! Please say to Yoav, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
17
And he came near to her. And the ishah said, “Are you Yoav?” And he said, “I am.” And she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.” And he said, “I am hearing.”
18
And she spoke, saying: “Speaking, they used to speak in former times, saying, ‘Asking, let them surely ask at Avel,’ and thus they finished a matter.
19
I am among the peaceable and faithful of Yisra’el. You seek to put to death a city and a mother in Yisra’el. Why will you swallow up the Inheritance of Yahuah?”
20
And Yoav answered and said: “Far be it! Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.
21
The matter is not so. But an ish from the hill country of Efrayim, Sheva son of Bikhri by name, has lifted up his hand against King Daviyd. Give him alone, and I will depart from the city.” And the ishah said to Yoav: “See, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”
22
And the ishah came to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheva son of Bikhri and threw it out to Yoav. And he blew the shofar, and they scattered from the city, each ish to his tent. And Yoav returned to Yerushalayim to the king.
23
And Yoav was over all the host of Yisra’el. And Benayahu son of Yehoyada was over the Kereti and over the Peleti.
24
And Adoram was over the forced labor. And Yehoshafat son of Achilud was recorder.
25
And Sheva was scribe. And Tzadoq and Evyatar were kohenim.
26
And Ira the Yairi was also kohen to Daviyd.