Sheba’s Rebellion

1When there came thither a certaine man of Belial, named Seba, the sonne of Bichri, a man of Iemini, he blew a trumpet, and said: we haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritaunce in the sonne of Isai: euery man to his tentes, O Israel.

2And so euery man of Israel went fro Dauid, and folowed Seba the sonne of Bichri: But the men of Iuda claue fast vnto their king from Iordane to Hierusalem.

3And Dauid came to his house to Hierusalem, and the king toke the ten women his concubines, that he had left behind him to kepe ye house, & put them in warde, & fed them, but lay no more with them: And so they were inclosed vnto the day of their death, lyuing in wydowhood.

4Then saide the king to Amasa: Call me the men of Iuda together within three dayes, and be thou here also. 5And so Amasa went to gather ye men of Iuda together, but taryed longer the the time which he had appoynted him. 6And Dauid saide to Abisai: Now shal Seba the sonne of Bichri do vs more harme then did Absalom: Take thou therefore thy lordes seruauntes, and folowe after him, lest he get him walled cities, and escape vs. 7And there went out after him Ioabs men, and the Cerethites, and the Phelethites, and all the mightyest men: And they departed out of Hierusalem, to folow after Seba the sonne of Bichri. 8And when they were at ye great stone in Gibeon, Amasa went before them: And Ioabs garment that he had about him, was girde vnto him, & he had gyrded thereon a sword, which was ioyned fast to his loynes in a sheath, that as he went it fell sometime out. 9And Ioab saide to Amasa: Art thou in health my brother? And Ioab toke Amasa by ye beard with the right hand, to kisse him.

10But Amasa toke no heede to the sword that was in Ioabs hand: for therewith he smote him in the fyst rybbe & shed out his bowels to the grounde, and thrust at him no more, & he dyed: So Ioab and Abisai his brother folowed after Seba the sonne of Bichri. 11And one of Ioabs men stoode by him, and saide: He that beareth any fauour to Ioab, or good will to Dauid, let him go after Ioab. 12And Amasa wallowed in blood in the middes of the way: And when the man sawe that all the people stoode still, he remoued Amasa out of the way into the fielde, and cast a cloth vpon him, because he saw that euery one that came by him stoode still.

13And assoone as he was remoued out of the way, al the people went after Ioab, to folow after Seba the sonne of Bichri.

14And he went thorow all the tribes of Israel, vnto Abel, and to Bethmaacha, and all the places of Berim: And they gathered together, and went after him. 15And they came and besieged him in Abel, neare to Bethmaacha: And they cast vp a bancke against the citie, and the people therof stoode on the ramper, and all the people that was with Ioab, thrust at the wall to ouerthrowe it. 16Then cryed a wyse woman out of the citie, heare, heare, I pray you say vnto Ioab: Come hither that I may speake with thee. 17When Ioab was come vnto her, the woman saide: Art thou Ioab? He aunswered: I am he. She saide vnto him: Heare the wordes of thyne handmayd. And he aunswered: I do heare. 18Then she spake thus: They spake in the olde tyme, saying, They should aske of Abel: And so haue they continued. 19I am one of them that are peaceable & faithfull in Israel, and thou goest about to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: Why wilt thou deuour the inheritaunce of the Lorde? 20And Ioab aunswered, and sayd: God forbyd, God forbid it me that I should either deuour, or destroy. 21The matter is not so: But a man of mount Ephraim (Seba the sonne of Bichri by name) hath lyft vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: Delyuer vs him onely, & I wyll depart from the citie. And the woman said vnto Ioab: Behold, his head shalbe throwen to thee ouer the wall. 22And then the woman went vnto all the people with her wisedome, and they smote of the head of Seba ye sonne of Bichri, and cast it out to Ioab: And he blew a trumpet, & they retyred from the citie, euery man to his tent: And Ioab returned to Hierusalem, vnto the king.

23Ioab was ouer all the hoast of Israel, and Banaia the sonne of Iehoida was ouer the Cerethites & Phelethites. 24And Aduram was ouer the tribute, and Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud, was recorder. 25Seua was scribe, and Sadoc and Abiathar were the priestes. 26And Ira the Iairite was chiefe about Dauid.