2 Samuel 20:5

5 So Amasa went to call Judah together, but he took longer than the allotted time.

2 Samuel 20:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 20:5

So Amasa went to assemble [the men of] Judah
To gather, them together out of their several tribes, and bring them to Jerusalem:

but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him:
than the three days; whether this was owing to the remissness of Amasa, or the unwillingness of the people to serve under him, who had been Absalom's general in the late rebellion, or not having time sufficient allowed him, is not certain.

2 Samuel 20:5 In-Context

3 When David arrived at his palace in Jerusalem, the king took the ten secondary wives he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he didn't have sex with them. They were confined until the day they died, and lived like widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Call everyone in Judah here to me three days from now. You should be here too."

5 So Amasa went to call Judah together, but he took longer than the allotted time.

6 David told Abishai, "Bichri's son Sheba will cause more trouble for us than Absalom did. Take your master's servants and chase after him before he finds fortified cities and escapes from us."

7 So Joab's men marched out after Sheba—this included the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors. They marched out of Jerusalem to pursue Bichri's son Sheba.