2 Samuel 20:1-6

Sheba's Revolt

1 Now ¹a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of ²Bichri, a Benjamite *; and he blew the trumpet and said, "³We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in ⁴the son of Jesse; ⁵Every man to his tents, O Israel!"

2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and ⁶the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and placed them under guard * and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to ⁷Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself."

5 So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he ⁸delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said to ⁹Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; ¹⁰take your lord's servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight."

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2 Samuel 20:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 20

This chapter gives an account of a new rebellion raised by Sheba, 2Sa 20:1,2; of David's shutting up his concubines unto the day of their death, whom Absalom had lain with, 2Sa 20:3; of Amasa being ordered to assemble the men of Judah to crush the rebellion, but being dilatory, Abishai is sent out with David's servants, and was followed by Joab with the men under him, 2Sa 20:4-7; and of the murder of Amasa by Joab, 2Sa 20:8-13; and of Sheba being shut up in the city Abel, 2Sa 20:14,15; whose head, by the means of a wise woman, was delivered to Joab, and so an end was put to the rebellion, 2Sa 20:16-22; and, lastly, of the chief officers in David's camp and court, 2Sa 20:23-26.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 10

1. 2 Samuel 16:7
2. Genesis 46:21
3. 2 Samuel 19:43; 1 Kings 12:16
4. 1 Samuel 22:7-9
5. 1 Samuel 13:2; 2 Samuel 18:17; 2 Chronicles 10:16
6. 2 Samuel 15:16; 2 Samuel 16:21, 22
7. 2 Samuel 17:25; 2 Samuel 19:13
8. 1 Samuel 13:8
9. 2 Samuel 21:17
10. 2 Samuel 11:11; 1 Kings 1:33

Footnotes 2

[a]. Lit "went up"
[b]. Lit "clung to"