2 Samuel 20:3-13

3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and ¹the 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 ²Amasa, "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 ³delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said to ⁴Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; ⁵take your lord's servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight."

7 So Joab's men went out after him, ⁶along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 When they were at the large stone which is in ⁷Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed * in his military attire *, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

9 Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" And ⁸Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

Amasa Murdered

10 But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab's hand so ⁹he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 Now there stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, "Whoever * favors Joab and whoever * is for David, ¹⁰let him follow Joab."

12 But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

Revolt Put Down

13 As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

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2 Samuel 20:3-13 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 15:16; 2 Samuel 16:21, 22
2. 2 Samuel 17:25; 2 Samuel 19:13
3. 1 Samuel 13:8
4. 2 Samuel 21:17
5. 2 Samuel 11:11; 1 Kings 1:33
6. 2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Kings 1:38
7. 2 Samuel 2:13; 2 Samuel 3:30
8. Matthew 26:49
9. 2 Samuel 2:23; 2 Samuel 3:27; 1 Kings 2:5
10. 2 Samuel 20:13

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "before"
[b]. Lit "girded with military garment as clothing"
[c]. Lit "caused to turn"