Meditate

20. Sheba Rebels Against David

The Rebellion of Sheba

20

Now a scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and cried out,

“We have no portion in David,

no share in the son of Jesse!

Everyone to your tents, O Israel!”

² So all the people of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but the people of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to look after the house, and put them in a house under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.”⁵So Amasa went to summon Judah; but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him.⁶David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities for himself, and escape from us.”⁷Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.⁸When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; as he went forward it fell out.⁹Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.¹⁰But Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand; Joab struck him in the belly so that his entrails poured out on the ground, and he died. He did not strike a second blow.

Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.¹¹And one of Joab’s men took his stand by Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.”¹²Amasa lay wallowing in his blood on the highway, and the man saw that all the people were stopping. Since he saw that all who came by him were stopping, he carried Amasa from the highway into a field, and threw a garment over him.¹³Once he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah; and all the Bichrites assembled, and followed him inside.¹⁵Joab’s forces came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah; they threw up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart. Joab’s forces were battering the wall to break it down.¹⁶Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, I want to speak to you.’ ”¹⁷He came near her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.”¹⁸Then she said, “They used to say in the old days, ‘Let them inquire at Abel’; and so they would settle a matter.¹⁹I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel; you seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?”²⁰Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!²¹That is not the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head shall be thrown over the wall to you.”²²Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, and all went to their homes, while Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

²³ Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;²⁴Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;²⁵Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;²⁶and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.

2. Freedom Through Life in Christ

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For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face.²I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself,³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.⁴I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments.⁵For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

106. Psalm 106

Psalm 106

A Confession of Israel’s Sins

1

Praise the Lord!

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever.

2

Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,

or declare all his praise?

3

Happy are those who observe justice,

who do righteousness at all times.

4

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;

help me when you deliver them;

5

that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,

that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,

that I may glory in your heritage.

6

Both we and our ancestors have sinned;

we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.

7

Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,

did not consider your wonderful works;

they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,

but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.

8

Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,

so that he might make known his mighty power.

9

He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry;

he led them through the deep as through a desert.

10

So he saved them from the hand of the foe,

and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

11

The waters covered their adversaries;

not one of them was left.

12

Then they believed his words;

they sang his praise.

13

But they soon forgot his works;

they did not wait for his counsel.

14

But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,

and put God to the test in the desert;

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he gave them what they asked,

but sent a wasting disease among them.