1,2 By occasion of the quarrel, Sheba makes a party in Israel 3 David's ten concubines are put in confinement for life 4-13 Amasa, made captain over Judah, is slain by Joab 14,15 Joab pursues Sheba unto Abel 16-22 A wise woman saves the city by Sheba's head 23-26 David's officers

And there 2Sa 19:41-43 Ps 34:19

a man 2Sa 23:6 De 13:13 Jud 19:22 1Sa 2:12 30:22 Ps 17:13 Pr 26:21 Hab 1:12,13

he blew 2Sa 15:10 Jud 3:27 Pr 24:21,22 25:8

We have 2Sa 19:43 1Ki 12:16 2Ch 10:6 Lu 19:14,27

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.

every man 2Sa 19:41 Ps 62:9 118:8-10 Pr 17:14

the men Joh 6:66-68 Ac 11:23

from Jordan 2Sa 19:15,40,41 2Ch 10:17

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.

ten women 2Sa 15:16 16:21,22

and put The confinement and retired maintenance of these women was the only measure which in justice and prudence could be adopted. In China, when an emperor dies, all his women are removed to an edifice called the {palace of chastity}, situated within the palace, in which they are shut up for the remainder of their lives.

ward [heb] and house of ward Ge 40:3

shut [bound]
living in widowhood [heb] in widowhood of life.

4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

Amasa 2Sa 17:25 19:13 1Ch 2:17

Assemble [heb] Call

5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

So Amasa 2Sa 19:13

tarried 1Sa 13:8

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.

Abishai 2Sa 2:18 3:30,39 10:9,10,14 18:2,12 21:17 23:18 1Sa 26:6 1Ch 11:20 18:12

do us 2Sa 19:7

thy lord's 2Sa 11:11 1Ki 1:33

escape us [heb] deliver himself from our eyes

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.

2Sa 20:23 8:16,18 15:18 23:22,23 1Ki 1:38,44

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.

in Gibeon 2Sa 2:13 3:30

Amasa 2Sa 20:4,5

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.

Art thou Ps 55:21 Pr 26:24-26 Mic 7:2

took Amasa Thevenot says, that among the Turks it is a great afront to take one by the beard, unless it be to kiss him, in which case they often do it. D'arvieux, describing an assembly of Arab emirs at an entertainment, says, `After the usual civilities, caresses, {kissings of the beard}, and of the hand, which every one gave and received according to his rank and dignity, they sat down upon mats.' The doing this by the Arab emirs corresponds with the conduct of Joab, and illustrates this horrid assassination.

to kiss him Mt 26:48,49 Lu 22:47,48

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.

in Joab's 2Sa 20:9 Jud 3:21 1Ch 12:2

he smote 2Sa 2:23 3:27 Ge 4:8 1Ki 2:5,6,31-34

and shed Ac 1:18,19

struck him not again [heb] doubled not his {stroke}. 1Sa 26:8

11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

He that 2Sa 20:6,7,13,21

for David 2Sa 20:4 2Ki 9:32

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.

2Sa 17:25 Ps 9:16 55:23 Pr 24:21,22

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

no ref

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 went also after him.

Abel Or rather, probably, {Abel of Beth-Maachah}, as in the next verse. It appears, from Joab having marched `through all the tribes of Israel,' to have been situated in the northern confines of the land of Israel, and in the half tribe of Manasseh, east of Jordan, as that was the situation of Maachah, to which it belonged. This agrees with the situation of the {Abela} which Eusebius and Jerome place between Paneas, or Caesarea Philippi, and Damascus. Josephus says it was a fortified city, and a metropolis of the Israelites; and also that it belonged to the ten tribes, having been taken from the king of Damascus. 1Ki 15:20 2Ki 15:29 2Ch 16:4

Berites Jos 18:25

Beeroth

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.

cast up 2Ki 19:32 Jer 32:24 33:4 Lu 19:43

a bank So LXX. generally render {solelah}, by (); which latter is described by Potter as `a mount, which was raised so high as to equal, if not exceed, the top of the besieged walls. The sides were walled in with bricks or stones, or secured with strong rafters; the fore part only, {being by degrees to be moved near the walls,} remained bare.'

it stood in the trench or, it stood against the outmost wall

battered, etc. [heb]
mared?? to throw 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.

2Sa 14:2 1Sa 25:3,32,33 Ec 9:14-18

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.

Hear the words 2Sa 14:12 1Sa 25:24

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.

They were wont, etc. or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end. De 20:10,11

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?

peaceable Ge 18:23 Ro 13:3,4 1Ti 2:2

a mother Jud 5:7 Eze 16:45-49

swallow 2Sa 17:16 Nu 16:32 26:10 Ps 124:3 Jer 51:34,44 La 2:2,5,16 1Co 15:54 2Co 5:4

the inheritance 2Sa 21:3 Ex 19:5,6 De 32:9 1Sa 26:19

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Far be it 2Sa 23:17 Job 21:16 22:18

that I should 2Sa 20:10 Pr 28:13 Jer 17:9 Lu 10:29

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.

a man 2Sa 20:1 Jud 2:9 7:24 2Ki 5:22 Jer 4:15 50:19

by name [heb] by his name
lifted 2Sa 23:18 1Sa 24:6 26:9

his head 2Sa 17:2,3 2Ki 10:7

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.

in her wisdom Ec 7:19 9:14-18

he blew 2Sa 20:1 2:28 18:16

retired [heb] were scattered
And Joab 2Sa 3:28-39 11:6-21 Ec 8:11

23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

Now Joab 2Sa 8:16-18 1Ch 18:15-17

and Benaiah 2Sa 20:7

24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:

Adoram 1Ki 4:6 12:18

recorder. or, remembrancer 1Ki 4:3

25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

Sheva 2Sa 8:17 1Ki 4:4 1Ch 18:16

Shavsha

26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

Ira 2Sa 23:38 1Ch 11:40

Ithrite
Jairite Jud 10:4,5

chief ruler. or, prince 2Sa 8:18 Ge 41:43,45 Ex 2:14,16

The hebrew is {cohen ledawid,} which might be rendered, a {priest of David;} and so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic. The chaldee hav {rav}, a chief or prince: probably he was a kind of {domestic chaplain} or {seer} to the king. 2Sa 24:11 2Ch 35:15