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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>2 Samuel 20 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_samuel/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > 2 Samuel 20</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_samuel/19.htm" title="2 Samuel 19">◄</a> 2 Samuel 20 <a href="../2_samuel/21.htm" title="2 Samuel 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Sheba Rebels against David</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_1"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.1" class="v10_20_1">1</span><a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.1!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> A troublemaker from the tribe of Benjamin was there. His name was Sheba the son of Bichri, and he blew a trumpet to get everyone's attention. Then he said, “People of Israel, David the son of Jesse doesn't belong to us! Let's go home.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_2"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.2" class="v10_20_2">2</span>So they stopped following David and went off with Sheba. But the people of Judah stayed close to David all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.</span></p><h3 class="s1">David's Ten Wives</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_3"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.3" class="v10_20_3">3</span><a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.3!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> David had left ten of his wives in Jerusalem to take care of his palace. But when he came back, he had them taken to another house, and he placed soldiers there to guard them. He gave them whatever they needed, but he never slept with any of them again.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.3!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> They had to live there for the rest of their lives as if they were widows.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The Army Goes after Sheba</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_4"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.4" class="v10_20_4">4</span>David said to Amasa, “Three days from now I want you and all of Judah's army to be here!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_5"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.5" class="v10_20_5">5</span>Amasa started bringing the army together, but it was taking him more than three days. </span><span class="v10_20_6"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.6" class="v10_20_6">6</span>So David said to Abishai, “Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom ever did. Take my best soldiers and go after him. We don't want him to take over any walled cities and get away from us.”<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.6!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><h3 class="s1">Joab Kills Amasa</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_7"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.7" class="v10_20_7">7</span>Abishai left Jerusalem to try and capture Sheba. He took along Joab and his soldiers, as well as David's bodyguard<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.7!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and best troops. </span><span class="v10_20_8"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.8" class="v10_20_8">8</span>They had gone as far as the big rock at Gibeon when Amasa caught up with them. Joab had a dagger strapped around his waist over his military uniform, but it fell out as he started toward Amasa.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_9"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.9" class="v10_20_9">9</span>Joab said, “Amasa, my cousin, how are you?” Then Joab took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand, so that he could greet him with a kiss. </span><span class="v10_20_10"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.10" class="v10_20_10">10</span>Amasa did not see the dagger in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck it in Amasa's stomach, and his insides spilled out on the ground. Joab only struck him once, but Amasa was dying.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_10">Joab and his brother Abishai went off to chase Sheba. </span><span class="v10_20_11"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.11" class="v10_20_11">11</span>One of Joab's soldiers stood by Amasa and shouted, “If any of you are for Joab and David, then follow Joab!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_12"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.12" class="v10_20_12">12</span>Amasa was still rolling in his own blood in the middle of the road. The soldier who had shouted noticed that everyone who passed by would stop, so he dragged Amasa off the road and covered him with a blanket. </span><span class="v10_20_13"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.13" class="v10_20_13">13</span>After this, no one else stopped. They all walked straight past him on their way to help Joab capture Sheba.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Sheba Hides Out in the Town of Abel</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_14"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.14" class="v10_20_14">14</span>Sheba had gone through all of the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All of his best soldiers<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.14!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> met him there and followed him into the town.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_15"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.15" class="v10_20_15">15</span>Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made a dirt ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down.</span></p><h3 class="s1">A Wise Woman Saves the Town</h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_16"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.16" class="v10_20_16">16</span>A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall,<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.16!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> “Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!” </span><span class="v10_20_17"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.17" class="v10_20_17">17</span>When he came, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_17">“Yes, I am,” he answered.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_17">She said, “Please, listen to what I have to say.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_17">“All right,” he said. “I'll listen.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_18"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.18" class="v10_20_18">18</span>She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.’ The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem. </span><span class="v10_20_19"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.19" class="v10_20_19">19</span>We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s people?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_20"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.20" class="v10_20_20">20</span>Joab answered, “No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town! </span><span class="v10_20_21"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.21" class="v10_20_21">21</span>That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_21">The woman told Joab, “We will throw his head over the wall.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_22"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.22" class="v10_20_22">22</span>She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_22">Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Another List of David's Officials<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.23!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </h3><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_23"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.23" class="v10_20_23">23</span>Joab was the commander of Israel's entire army.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v10_20_23">Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of David's bodyguard.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.23!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_24"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.24" class="v10_20_24">24</span>Adoram<a href="#fn" id="link_2Sam.20.24!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> was in charge of the slave-labor force.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v10_20_24">Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept government records.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_25"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.25" class="v10_20_25">25</span>Sheva was the secretary.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v10_20_25">Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v10_20_26"><span class="reftext" id="2Sam.20.26" class="v10_20_26">26</span>Ira from Jair was David's priest.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.3 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">he … again: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Because of what Absalom had done (see 16.21,22).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.6 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">get … us: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.7 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">bodyguard: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 8.18.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.14 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">best soldiers: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; the difficult Hebrew text may mean either “Berites” or “Bichrites,” Sheba's relatives.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.16 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the top of the wall: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “the town.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.23 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Another List of David's Officials: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See also the list in 8.16,17.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.23 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">David's bodyguard: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 8.18.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.24 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Adoram: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation “Adoniram” (see 1 Kings 4.1-6; 5.14).</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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