10
But Amasa took no heed of the sword that
was in Joab’s hand; and he smote him with it in the fifth
rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai, his brother, pursued after Sheba, the son of Bichri.
11
And one of Joab’s servants stood by him, and said, He that favours Joab and he that
is for David,
let him go after Joab.
12
And Amasa had wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field and cast a garment upon him because he saw that every one that came by him stopped.
13
When he was removed out of the highway, all the people that followed Joab passed on, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14
And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel and to Bethmaachah and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him.
15
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and
the people went against the wall; and all the people that
were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16
Then a wise woman cried out in the city, Hear, hear, I pray you, tell Joab to come here, that I may speak with him.
17
And when he had come near unto her, the woman said,
Art thou Joab? And he answered, I
am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I hear.
18
Then she spoke, saying, They used to speak in old times, saying, If you have a question ask it at Abel; and so they concluded
the matter.
19
I am one of those that are peaceable
and faithful in Israel, and thou seekest to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
20
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.