1
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!"
2
So every man of Israel went up from after David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah cleaved unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3
And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4
Then said the king to Amasa, "Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou present here."
5
So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah, but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6
And David said to Abishai, "Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortifed cities and escape us."
7
And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth, it fell out.
9
And Joab said to Amasa, "Art thou in health, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him,