2 Samuel 20:21

21 The thing hath not so itself; but a man of the hill of Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by surname, raised his hand against king David; betake ye him alone to us, and we shall go away from the city (That is not my goal; but a man named Sheba, the son of Bichri, of the hill country of Ephraim, raised a rebellion against King David; deliver ye him to us, and him alone, and we shall go away from your city). And the woman said to Joab, Lo! his head shall be sent to thee by the wall.

2 Samuel 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 20:21

The matter [is] not so
I am not come with the army against this city with any ill will to it, and with an intention to destroy it: the case is this,

but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name;
for though he was by birth a Benjaminite, his dwelling was in Mount Ephraim in that tribe; unless there was a place of this name in the tribe of Benjamin, so called from any memorable event there, as the wood of Ephraim, ( 2 Samuel 18:6 ) . This same man, says Joab,

hath lifted up his hand against the king, [even] against David;
is in rebellion against the king, even so great and good a king as David; he has lifted up his hand, and blown a trumpet to draw off men from David, and after himself; he has committed acts of hostility and treason; he has drawn his sword, and raised an insurrection and rebellion in the nation:

deliver him only, and I will depart from the city:
he did not desire any of his followers to be delivered up, only himself, knowing the rebellion would cease upon the delivery of him; and being unwilling that the blood of any Israelite should be shed, whom he had unawares drawn into this rebellion, and who he knew would return to their own cities upon this:

and the woman said unto Joab, behold, his head shall be thrown to thee
over the wall;
she knew the fright the inhabitants of the city were in, and how disposed they were to do anything to save their city; she knew what influence she had among them, and how weak Sheba's party was, and therefore could assure Joab that this should be done.

2 Samuel 20:21 In-Context

19 Whether I am not, that answer truth to Israel? and seekest thou to destroy a city, and to do away a mother city in Israel? why castedest thou down/why throwest thou down the heritage of the Lord? (My city is one of the most peaceful, and faithful, in all of Israel; so why seekest thou to destroy such a city, and to do away such a mother in Israel? why throwest thou down the Lord's inheritance?)

20 And Joab answered, and said, Far be (this), far be this from me; I cast not down, neither I destroy (I do not want to destroy this city).

21 The thing hath not so itself; but a man of the hill of Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by surname, raised his hand against king David; betake ye him alone to us, and we shall go away from the city (That is not my goal; but a man named Sheba, the son of Bichri, of the hill country of Ephraim, raised a rebellion against King David; deliver ye him to us, and him alone, and we shall go away from your city). And the woman said to Joab, Lo! his head shall be sent to thee by the wall.

22 Then the woman went in to all the people, and she spake to them wisely; and they threw (out) to Joab the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, girded off. And Joab sounded with a trump, and they departed from the city, each man into his tabernacles; and Joab turned again to Jerusalem to the king. (Then the woman went to all the people, and she spoke wisely to them; and so they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And then Joab sounded with a trumpet, and they left the city, and each man went back to his home; and Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.)

23 Therefore Joab was on all the host of Israel; forsooth Benaiah, [the] son of Jehoiada, was on Cherethites and Pelethites; (And so Joab was over all of Israel's army; and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;)