Olam 2

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more <i>right</i> in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name <i>was</i> 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.

So every man of Israel went up from after David, <i>and</i> followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women <i>his</i> 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.

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

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

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than <i>did</i> Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

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.

When they <i>were</i> at the great stone which <i>is</i> in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle <i>with</i> a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

And Joab said to Amasa, <i>Art</i> thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.