II Samuel 20

vesham niqra ish beliyya'al ushemo sheva ben-bikhri ish yemini vayyitqa bashofar vayyomer en-lanu kheleq bedavid velo nakhalah-lanu beven-yishay ish le'ohalayw yisra'el

A scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the horn and proclaimed: “We have no portion in David, No share in Jesse’s son! Back to your homes, O Israel!”

vayya'al kol-ish yisra'el me'akhare david akhare sheva ben-bikhri ve'ish yehudah davequ vemalkam min-hayyarden ve'ad-yerushalai͏m

Israel’s entire contingent left David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but Judah’s contingent accompanied their king from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

vayyavo david el-beto yerushalai͏m vayyiqqakh hammelekh et eser-nashim pilagshim asher hinniakh lishmor habbayit vayyittenem bet-mishmeret vayekhalkelem va'alehem lo-va vattihyenah tserurot ad-yom mutan almenut khayyut

David went to his palace in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten concubines he had left to mind the palace and put them in a guarded place; he provided for them, but he did not cohabit with them. They remained in seclusion until the day they died, in living widowhood.

vayyomer hammelekh el-amasa hazeq-li et-ish-yehudah sheloshet yamim ve'attah poh amod

The king said to Amasa, “Call up Judah’s force to my standard, and report here three days from now.”

vayyelekh amasa lehaziq et-yehudah (vyykhr) [vayyokher] min-hammo'ed asher ye'ado

Amasa went to call up Judah, but he took longer than the time set for him.

vayyomer david el-avishay attah yera lanu sheva ben-bikhri min-avshalom attah qakh et-avde adonekha uredof akharayw pen-matsa lo arim betsurot vehitsil enenu

And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will cause us more trouble than Absalom. So take your lord’s servants and pursue him, before he finds fortified towns and eludes us.”

vayyetse'u akharayw anshe yo'av vehakkereti vehappeleti vekhol-haggibborim vayyetse'u mirushalai͏m lirdof akhare sheva ben-bikhri

Joab’s men, the Cherethites and Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out behind him. They left Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

hem im-ha'even haggedolah asher begivon va'amasa ba lifnehem veyo'av khagur middo levusho ve'alav khagor kherev metsummedet al-motnayw betarah vehu yatsa vattippol

They were near the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa appeared before them. Joab was wearing his military dress, with his sword girded over it and fastened around his waist in its sheath; and, as he stepped forward, it fell out.

vayyomer yo'av la'amasa hashalom attah akhi vattokhez yad-yemin yo'av bizqan amasa linshoq-lo

Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, brother?” and with his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to kiss him.

va'amasa lo-nishmar bakherev asher beyad-yo'av vayyakkehu vah el-hakhomesh vayyishpokh me'ayw artsah velo-shanah lo vayyamot veyo'av va'avishay akhiv radaf akhare sheva ben-bikhri

Amasa was not on his guard against the sword in Joab’s [left] hand, and [Joab] drove it into his belly so that his entrails poured out on the ground and he died; he did not need to strike him a second time. Joab and his brother Abishai then set off in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri,

ve'ish amad alayw minna'are yo'av vayyomer mi asher khafets beyo'av umi asher-ledavid akhare yo'av

while one of Joab’s henchmen stood by the corpse and called out, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is on David’s side, follow Joab!”

va'amasa mitgolel baddam betokh hamesillah vayyar ha'ish ki-amad kol-ha'am vayyassev et-amasa min-hamesillah hassadeh vayyashlekh alayw beged ka'asher ra'ah kol-habba alayw ve'amad

Amasa lay in the middle of the road, drenched in his blood; and the man saw that everyone stopped. And when he saw that all the people were stopping, he dragged Amasa from the road into the field and covered him with a garment.

ka'asher hogah min-hamesillah avar kol-ish akhare yo'av lirdof akhare sheva ben-bikhri

Once he was removed from the road, everybody continued to follow Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

vayya'avor bekhol-shivte yisra'el avelah uvet ma'akhah vekhol-habberim (vyqlhv) [vayyiqqahalu] vayyavo'u af-akharayw

[Sheba] had passed through all the tribes of Israel up to Abel of Beth-maacah; and all the Beerites assembled and followed him inside.

vayyavo'u vayyatsuru alayw be'avelah bet hamma'akhah vayyishpekhu solelah el-ha'ir vatta'amod bakhel vekhol-ha'am asher et-yo'av mashkhitim lehappil hakhomah

[Joab’s men] came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah; they threw up a siege mound against the city and it stood against the rampart. All the troops with Joab were engaged in battering the wall,

vattiqra isha khakhamah min-ha'ir shimu shimu imru-na el-yo'av qerav ad-hennah va'adabberah elekha

when a woman who was wise shouted from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come over here so I can talk to him.”

vayyiqrav eleha vattomer ha'isha ha'attah yo'av vayyomer ani vattomer lo shema divre amatekha vayyomer shomea anokhi

He approached her, and the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “Yes,” he answered; and she said to him, “Listen to what your handmaid has to say.” “I’m listening,” he replied.

vattomer lemor dabber yedabberu varishonah lemor sha'ol yesha'alu be'avel vekhen hetammu

And she continued, “In olden times people used to say, ‘Let them inquire of Abel,’ and that was the end of the matter.

anokhi shelume emune yisra'el attah mevaqqesh lehamit ir ve'em beyisra'el lammah tevalla nakhalat Adonai

I am one of those who seek the welfare of the faithful in Israel. But you seek to bring death upon a mother city in Israel! Why should you destroy GOD’s possession?”

vayya'an yo'av vayyomar khalilah khalilah li im-avalla ve'im-ashkhit

Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me to destroy or to ruin!

lo-khen haddavar ki ish mehar efrayim sheva ben-bikhri shemo nasa yado bammelekh bedavid tenu-oto levaddo ve'elekhah me'al ha'ir vattomer ha'isha el-yo'av hinneh rosho mushlakh elekha be'ad hakhomah

Not at all! But a certain man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba son of Bichri, has rebelled against King David. Just hand him alone over to us, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman assured Joab, “His head shall be thrown over the wall to you.”

vattavo ha'isha el-kol-ha'am bekhokhmatah vayyikhretu et-rosh sheva ben-bikhri vayyashlikhu el-yo'av vayyitqa bashofar vayyafutsu me'al-ha'ir ish le'ohalayw veyo'av shav yerushalai͏m el-hammelekh

The woman came to all the people with her wise plan; and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it down to Joab. He then sounded the horn; those attacking the city dispersed to their homes, and Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

veyo'av el kol-hatsava yisra'el uvenayah ben-yehoyada al-(hkhry) [hakkereti] ve'al-happeleti

Joab was commander of the whole army [of] Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

va'adoram al-hammas vihoshafat ben-akhilud hammazkir

Adoram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;

(vshy) [usheva] sofer vetsadoq ve'evyatar kohanim

Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

vegam ira hayya'iri hayah khohen ledavid

Ira the Jairite also served David as priest.