2 Samuel 20

A sedição de Seba e a sua morte

1 Ora, sucedeu achar-se *2Sm 16.7ali um homem de Belial que se chamava Seba, filho de *Gn 46.21Bicri, homem benjamita. Ele tocou a trombeta e disse: *2Sm 19.43;1Rs 12.16Nós não temos parte em Davi, nem herança no *1Sm 22.7-9filho de Jessé; *2Sm 18.17;1Sm 13.2;2Cr 10.16cada um para as suas tendas, ó Israel. 2 Todos os homens de Israel se separaram de Davi e seguiram a Seba, filho de Bicri; porém os homens de Judá se apegaram ao seu rei desde o Jordão até Jerusalém.

3 Veio Davi para sua casa em Jerusalém. *2Sm 15.16;16.21-22O rei tomou as dez mulheres, suas concubinas, que tinha deixado para guardarem a casa, e as meteu em custódia, e as sustentou, porém não entrou a elas. Assim, estiveram encerradas até o dia da sua morte, vivendo como viúvas.

4 Disse o rei a *2Sm 17.25;19.13Amasa: Convoca-me dentro de três dias os homens de Judá e apresenta-te aqui. 5 Partiu Amasa para convocar os homens de Judá, mas *1Sm 13.8tardou além do tempo que o rei lhe aprazara. 6 Davi disse a *2Sm 21.17Abisai: Mais mal agora nos fará Seba, filho de Bicri, do que nos fez Absalão. Portanto, *2Sm 11.11;1Rs 1.33toma os servos do teu senhor e persegue-o; não suceda que ele consiga cidades fortificadas e nos escape. 7 Saíram após ele os homens de Joabe, e os *2Sm 8.18;1Rs 1.38quereteus, e os peleteus, e *2Sm 15.18todos os homens valentes; e saíram de Jerusalém para perseguirem a Seba, filho de Bicri. 8 Eles estavam junto da grande pedra em *2Sm 2.13;3.30Gibeão, quando Amasa lhes veio ao encontro. Estava Joabe cingido com as armas que levara, e, sobre elas, um cinto no qual, presa aos seus lombos, estava uma espada, dentro da sua bainha; e, adiantando-se ele, caiu a espada. 9 Disse Joabe a Amasa: Vais bem, meu irmão? Com a mão direita *Mt 26.49Joabe tomou a Amasa pela barba, para o beijar. 10 Amasa, porém, não reparou na espada que estava na mão de Joabe. Assim, *2Sm 2.23;3.27;1Rs 2.5este o feriu com ela no ventre e lhe lançou por terra os intestinos, sem o ferir segunda vez; e Amasa caiu morto.

Joabe e Abisai, seu irmão, perseguiram a Seba, filho de Bicri. 11 Um dos mancebos de Joabe ficou junto de Amasa e dizia: Quem favorece a Joabe, e quem está a favor de Davi, *2Sm 20.13siga a Joabe. 12 Amasa se revolvia no seu sangue no meio da estrada. Quando o mancebo viu que todo o povo parava, levou a Amasa da estrada para o campo e lançou sobre ele um manto, porque viu que todo aquele que chegava ao pé dele parava. 13 Tirado que foi Amasa da estrada, todo o povo seguiu a Joabe, para perseguir a Seba, filho de Bicri.

14 Joabe passou por todas as tribos de Israel até Abel, e a Bete-Maaca, e a todos os *Nm 21.16beritas, os quais se ajuntaram e saíram também após ele. 15 Foram e sitiaram-no em *1Rs 15.20;2Rs 15.29Abel de Bete-Maaca *2Rs 19.32;Ez 4.2e levantaram contra a cidade um montão, da altura do muro; e todo o povo que estava com Joabe batia o muro para o derribar. 16 Gritou *2Sm 14.2uma mulher sábia de dentro da cidade: Ouvi, ouvi; dizei a Joabe: Chega-te cá, para que eu fale contigo. 17 Tendo ele se chegado perto dela, perguntou a mulher: És tu Joabe? Respondeu ele: Sou. Ela lhe disse: Ouve as palavras da tua escrava. Disse ele: Ouço. 18 A mulher prosseguiu: Antigamente, era costume dizer: Peça-se conselho em Abel; e assim punham termo às questões. 19 Eu sou dentre as pacíficas e fiéis em Israel; *Dt 20.10tu estás procurando destruir uma cidade e uma mãe em Israel; por que queres devorar a *2Sm 14.16;21.3;1Sm 26.19herança de Jeová? 20 Respondeu Joabe: Longe, longe de mim que eu devore ou destrua. 21 A coisa não é assim. Porém um homem *Js 24.33da região montanhosa de Efraim, de nome *2Sm 20.2Seba, filho de Bicri, levantou a mão contra o rei, contra Davi; entregai só este, e retirar-me-ei da cidade. Disse a mulher a Joabe: Eis que te será lançada a sua cabeça pelo muro. 22 A mulher, *2Sm 20.16;Ec 9.13-16na sua sabedoria, foi ter com todo o povo. Cortada a cabeça de Seba, filho de Bicri, lançaram-na a Joabe. *2Sm 20.1Ele tocou a trombeta, e retiraram-se da cidade, cada um para a sua tenda. Joabe voltou a Jerusalém a ter com o rei.

23 *2Sm 8.16-18;1Rs 4.3-6Joabe estava sobre todo o exército de Israel; Benaia, filho de Joiada, estava sobre os quereteus e sobre os peleteus; 24 Adorão, sobre os que trabalhavam forçados; Josafá, filho de Ailude, era cronista; 25 Seva era secretário; Zadoque e Abiatar eram sacerdotes; 26 e também *2Sm 23.38Ira, o jairita, era ministro de Estado de Davi.

1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. 2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 And 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 ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.*20.3 ward: Heb. an house of ward*20.3 shut…: Heb. bound*20.3 living…: Heb. in widowhood of life

4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.*20.4 Assemble: Heb. Call 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.*20.5 Assemble: Heb. Call 6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.*20.6 escape…: Heb. deliver himself from our eyes 7 And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.*20.10 struck…: Heb. doubled not his stroke 11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.*20.15 in the trench: or, against the outmost wall*20.15 battered: Heb. marred to throw down

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. 17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. 18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.*20.18 They were…: or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end 19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD? 20 And Joab 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 a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.*20.21 by name: Heb. by his name 22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.*20.22 retired: Heb. were scattered

23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:*20.24 recorder: or, remembrancer 25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.*20.26 a chief…: or, a prince