2 Samuel 20-24

New International Version

Sheba Rebels Against David

20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,

² So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines^(D) he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa,^(E) “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” ⁵ But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

⁶ David said to Abishai,^(F) “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”^{[a] 7} So Joab’s men and the Kerethites^(G) and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

⁸ While they were at the great rock in Gibeon,^(H) Amasa came to meet them. Joab^(I) was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

⁹ Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger^(J) in Joab’s^(K) hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

¹¹ One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” ¹² Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt^(L) there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. ¹³ After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,^[b](M) who gathered together and followed him. ¹⁵ All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.^(N) They built a siege ramp^(O) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, ¹⁶ a wise woman^(P) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” ¹⁷ He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”

“I am,” he answered.

She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”

“I’m listening,” he said.

¹⁸ She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. ¹⁹ We are the peaceful^(Q) and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”^(R)

²⁰ “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! ²¹ That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”

The woman said to Joab, “His head^(S) will be thrown to you from the wall.”

²² Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice,^(T) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

David’s Officials

²³ Joab^(U) was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; ²⁴ Adoniram^[c](V) was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat^(W) son of Ahilud was recorder; ²⁵ Sheva was secretary; Zadok^(X) and Abiathar were priests; ²⁶ and Ira the Jairite^[d] was David’s priest.

The Gibeonites Avenged

21 During the reign of David, there was a famine^(Y) for three successive years; so David sought^(Z) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

² The king summoned the Gibeonites^(AA) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) ³ David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”^(AB)

⁴ The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”^(AC)

“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.

⁵ They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, ⁶ let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed^(AD) before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen^(AE) one.”

So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

⁷ The king spared Mephibosheth^(AF) son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath^(AG) before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. ⁸ But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah,^(AH) whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab,^[e] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.^{(AI) 9} He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death^(AJ) during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.^(AK)

¹⁰ Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.^{(AL) 11} When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, ¹² he went and took the bones of Saul^(AM) and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead.^(AN) (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan,^(AO) where the Philistines had hung^(AP) them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)^{(AQ) 13} David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

¹⁴ They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela^(AR) in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that,^(AS) God answered prayer^(AT) in behalf of the land.^(AU)

Wars Against the Philistines^(AV)

¹⁵ Once again there was a battle between the Philistines^(AW) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. ¹⁶ And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels^[f] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai^(AX) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp^(AY) of Israel will not be extinguished.^(AZ)”

¹⁸ In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai^(BA) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

¹⁹ In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair^[g] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of^[h] Goliath the Gittite,^(BB) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.^(BC)

²⁰ In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. ²¹ When he taunted^(BD) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,^(BE) David’s brother, killed him.

²² These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

David’s Song of Praise^(BF)

22 David sang^(BG) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. ² He said:

David’s Last Words

23 These are the last words of David:

David’s Mighty Warriors^(FC)

⁸ These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:^(FD)

Josheb-Basshebeth,^[s](FE) a Tahkemonite,^[t] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed^[u] in one encounter.

⁹ Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai^(FF) the Ahohite.^(FG) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim^[v] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, ¹⁰ but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. ¹² But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,^(FH) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.^{(FI) 14} At that time David was in the stronghold,^(FJ) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.^{(FK) 15} David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁶ So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured^(FL) it out before the Lord. ¹⁷ “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood^(FM) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

¹⁸ Abishai^(FN) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.^[w] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. ¹⁹ Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

²⁰ Benaiah^(FO) son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,^(FP) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²¹ And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²² Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. ²³ He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

David Enrolls the Fighting Men^(GL)

24 Again^(GM) the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,^(GN) and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of^(GO) Israel and Judah.”

² So the king said to Joab^(GP) and the army commanders^[ad] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba^(GQ) and enroll^(GR) the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

³ But Joab^(GS) replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,^(GT) and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

⁴ The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

⁵ After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,^(GU) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.^{(GV) 6} They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.^{(GW) 7} Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre^(GX) and all the towns of the Hivites^(GY) and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba^(GZ) in the Negev^(HA) of Judah.

⁸ After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

⁹ Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.^(HB)

¹⁰ David was conscience-stricken^(HC) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned^(HD) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.^(HE)”

¹¹ Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad^(HF) the prophet, David’s seer:^{(HG) 12} “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

¹³ So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three^[ae] years of famine^(HH) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague^(HI) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

¹⁴ David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy^(HJ) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

¹⁵ So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.^{(HK) 16} When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented^(HL) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord^(HM) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷ When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,^[af] have done wrong. These are but sheep.^(HN) What have they done?^(HO) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”^(HP)

David Builds an Altar^(HQ)

¹⁸ On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah^(HR) the Jebusite.” ¹⁹ So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. ²⁰ When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

²¹ Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”^(HS)

²² Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen^(HT) for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. ²³ Your Majesty, Araunah^[ag] gives^(HU) all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

²⁴ But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”^(HV)

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels^[ah](HW) of silver for them. ²⁵ David built an altar^(HX) to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer^(HY) in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.