2 Samuel 20 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

2 Samuel 20 (WEBP)

[1] There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
[2] So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
[3] 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 provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
[4] Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
[5] So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him.
[6] David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
[7] Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
[8] When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.
[9] Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
[10] But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
[11] One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
[12] Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
[13] When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
[14] He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.
[15] They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.
[16] Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’ ”
[17] He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.”
[18] Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.
[19] I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?”
[20] Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
[21] The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
[22] Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
[23] Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,
[24] Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,
[25] Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
[26] and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

2 Samuel 20 (KJVS)

[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 clave () unto their king , from 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 ward , 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 here present ().
[5] So Amasa went () to assemble () [the men of] Judah : but he tarried longer () (8675) () 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 () him fenced () 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.
[10] But Amasa took no heed () to the sword that [was] in Joab’s hand : so he smote () him therewith 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 men stood () by him, and said (), He that favoureth () Joab , and he that [is] for David , [let him go] after Joab .
[12] And Amasa wallowed () in blood in the midst of the highway . And when the man saw () that all the people stood still (), he removed () Amasa out of the highway into the field , and cast () a cloth upon him, when he saw () that every one that came () by him stood still ().
[13] When he was removed () out of the highway , all the people went on () after Joab , 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 () (8675) (), and went () also after him.
[15] And they came () and besieged () him in Abel of Bethmaachah , and they cast up () a bank against the city , and it stood () in the trench : and all the people that [were] with Joab battered () the wall , to throw it down ().
[16] Then cried () a wise woman out of the city , Hear (), hear (); say (), I pray you, unto Joab , Come near () hither, that I may speak () with thee.
[17] And when he was 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 thine handmaid . And he answered (), I do hear ().
[18] Then she spake (), saying (), They were wont () to speak () in old time , saying (), They shall surely () ask () [counsel] at Abel : and so they ended () [the matter].
[19] I [am one of them that are] peaceable () [and] faithful () in Israel : thou seekest () to destroy () a city and 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 ().
[21] The matter [is] not so: but a man of mount Ephraim , Sheba the son of Bichri by name , hath lifted up () his hand against the king , [even] against David : deliver () him only, and I will depart () from the city . And the woman said () unto Joab , Behold, his head shall be thrown () to thee over the wall .
[22] Then the woman went () unto all the people in her wisdom . And they cut off () the head of Sheba the son of Bichri , and cast () [it] out to Joab . And he blew () a trumpet , and they retired () from the city , every man to his tent . And Joab returned () to Jerusalem unto the king .
[23] Now Joab [was] over all the host of Israel : and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites () and over the Pelethites :
[24] And Adoram [was] over the tribute : and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder ():
[25] And Sheva () [was] scribe (): and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests :
[26] And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David .

Young’s Literal Translation

2 Samuel 20 (YLT)

[1] And there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name is Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, ‘We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.’
[2] And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem.
[3] And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines-whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living.
[4] And the king saith unto Amasa, ‘Call for me the men of Judah in three days, and thou, stand here,’
[5] and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him;
[6] and David saith unto Abishai, ‘Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself from our eye.’
[7] And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri;
[8] they are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle-a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.
[9] And Joab saith to Amasa, ‘Art thou in peace, my brother?’ and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;
[10] and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that is in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth rib, and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated it to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.
[11] And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, ‘He who hath delight in Joab, and he who is for David-after Joab!’
[12] And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him-hath stood still.
[13] When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.
[14] And he passeth over through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and to all the Berites, and they are assembled, and go in also after him,
[15] and they go in and lay siege against him, in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and cast up a mount against the city, and it standeth in a trench, and all the people who are are with Joab are destroying, to cause the wall to fall.
[16] And a wise woman calleth out of the city, ‘Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.’
[17] And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, ‘Art thou Joab?’ and he saith, ‘I am.’ And she saith to him, ‘Hear the words of thy handmaid;’ and he saith, ‘I am hearing.’
[18] And she speaketh, saying, ‘They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.
[19] I am of the peaceable-faithful ones of Israel; thou art seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel; why dost thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?
[20] And Joab answereth and saith, ‘Far be it-far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.
[21] The matter is not so; for a man of the hill-country of Ephraim-Sheba son of Bichri his name-hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David; give ye up him by himself, and I go away from the city.’ And the woman saith unto Joab, ‘Lo, his head is cast unto thee over the wall.’
[22] And the woman cometh unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it unto Joab, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and they are scattered from the city, each to his tents, and Joab hath turned back to Jerusalem unto the king.
[23] And Joab is over all the host of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada is over the Cherethite, and over the Pelethite,
[24] and Adoram is over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is the remembrancer,
[25] and Sheva is scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar are priests,
[26] and also, Ira the Jairite hath been minister to David.