וְשָׁם נִקְרָא אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי אִישׁ יְמִינִי וַיִּתְקַע בַּשֹּׁפָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין־לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּדָוִד   20:1 וְלֹא נַחֲלָה־לָנוּ בְּבֶן־יִשַׁי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Sam. 20:1   Now there came a wicked man and his name was Sheba son of Bichri, one of Benjamin, and he blew on a horn and said,

“There is not a portion for us by David,

And no inheritance for us with the son of Jesse. 

Everyone to his tent, O Israel!”

וַיַּעַל כָּל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַחֲרֵי דָוִד אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה דָּבְקוּ בְמַלְכָּם מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּן   20:2 וְעַד־יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃

2Sam. 20:2   And everyone of Israel came from being after David to being after Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah kept with their king from the Jordan and as far as Jerusalem.

וַיָּבֹא דָוִד אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּקַּח הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת עֶשֶׂר־נָשִׁים פִּלַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ לִשְׁמֹר הַבַּיִת וַיִּתְּנֵם   20:3 בֵּית־מִשְׁמֶרֶת וַיְכַלְכְּלֵם וַאֲלֵיהֶם לֹא־בָא וַתִּהְיֶינָה צְרֻרוֹת עַד־יוֹם מֻתָן אַלְמְנוּת חַיּוּת׃

2Sam. 20:3   When David came to his house in Jerusalem, then the king took the ten women concubines whom he had left to keep the house and put them in a ward house and he sustained them but he did not go into them, and they were shut up until the day of their death, widows of the living.

David did this apparently because they had been publicly violated by Absalom.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־עֲמָשָׂא הַזְעֶק־לִי אֶת־אִישׁ־יְהוּדָה שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד׃   20:4

2Sam. 20:4   And the king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me in three days and you be present here.”

וַיֵּלֶךְ עֲמָשָׂא לְהַזְעִיק אֶת־יְהוּדָה וַיִּיֹחֶר מִן־הַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר יְעָדוֹ׃   20:5

2Sam. 20:5   So Amasa went to call together Judah, but he delayed longer than the meeting time that was appointed him.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אֲבִישַׁי עַתָּה יֵרַע לָנוּ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי מִן־אַבְשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה קַח אֶת־עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנֶיךָ וּרְדֹף   20:6 אַחֲרָיו פֶּן־מָצָא לוֹ עָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת וְהִצִּיל עֵינֵנוּ׃

2Sam. 20:6   And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri could do more harm to us than Absalom.  You take the servants of your lord and follow after him, lest he gets fortified cities for himself and would escape our eyes.”

וַיֵּצְאוּ אַחֲרָיו אַנְשֵׁי יוֹאָב וְהַכְּרֵתִי וְהַפְּלֵתִי וְכָל־הַגִּבֹּרִים וַיֵּצְאוּ מִירוּשָׁלִַם לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־   20:7 בִּכְרִי׃

2Sam. 20:7   Then the men of Joab went out after him with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men.  And they emerged from Jerusalem pursuing after Sheba son of Bichri.

הֵם עִם־הָאֶבֶן הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעוֹן וַעֲמָשָׂא בָּא לִפְנֵיהֶם וְיוֹאָב חָגוּר מִדּוֹ לְבֻשׁוּ (וְעָלוֹ) [וְעָלָיו]   20:8 חֲגוֹר חֶרֶב מְצֻמֶּדֶת עַל־מָתְנָיו בְּתַעְרָהּ וְהוּא יָצָא וַתִּפֹּל׃

2Sam. 20:8   They were near the great stone that is in Gibeon when Amasa came before them.  Now Joab had on his armor of his apparel, and he had girded on himself a sword fastened on his loins in its sheath; as he went, then it fell out.

The word in parentheses is misspelled.  The addition of a yad corrects it in the brackets.

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לַעֲמָשָׂא הֲשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה אָחִי וַתֹּחֶז יַד־יְמִין יוֹאָב בִּזְקַן עֲמָשָׂא לִנְשָׁק־לוֹ׃   20:9

2Sam. 20:9   And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?  And the right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amasa as if to give a kiss to him,

וַעֲמָשָׂא לֹא־נִשְׁמַר בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד־יוֹאָב וַיַּכֵּהוּ בָהּ אֶל־הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיִּשְׁפֹּךְ מֵעָיו אַרְצָה וְלֹא־שָׁנָה לוֹ   20:10 וַיָּמֹת וְיוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אָחִיו רָדַף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי׃

2Sam. 20:10   that Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in the hand of Joab, and he smote him with it in the abdomen, that his bowels spilled out to the ground, and he did not repeat it, as he had died.  Then Joab, with Abishai, his brother, pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.

וְאִישׁ עָמַד עָלָיו מִנַּעֲרֵי יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ בְּיוֹאָב וּמִי אֲשֶׁר־לְדָוִד אַחֲרֵי יוֹאָב׃   20:11

2Sam. 20:11   And one from the young men of Joab stood by him and said, “Who is it that is pleased with Joab and who is it that is for David?  Follow Joab.”

וַעֲמָשָׂא מִתְגֹּלֵל בַּדָּם בְּתוֹךְ הַמְסִּלָּה וַיַּרְא הָאִישׁ כִּי־עָמַד כָּל־הָעָם וַיַּסֵּב אֶת־עֲמָשָׂא מִן־הַמְסִלָּה   20:12 הַשָּׂדֶה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ עָלָיו בֶּגֶד כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה כָּל־הַבָּא עָלָיו וְעָמָד׃

2Sam. 20:12   And Amasa was wallowing in blood in the middle of the highway.  When the man saw that all the people stood still, then he removed Amasa from the highway to the field.  Then he threw a garment over him when he saw everyone who came by him then stopped.

כַּאֲשֶׁר הֹגָה מִן־הַמְסִלָּה עָבַר כָּל־אִישׁ אַחֲרֵי יוֹאָב לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי׃   20:13

2Sam. 20:13   As he was removed from the highway, every one went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.

וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבֵלָה וּבֵית מַעֲכָה וְכָל־הַבֵּרִים (ויקלהו) [וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ] וַיָּבֹאוּ אַף־אַחֲרָיו׃   20:14

2Sam. 20:14  And he passed into all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth-maacah and all the Berites, and they gathered together and also came after him.

The word in parentheses has two letters interchanged, the lamed and the heh.  The correction is in the brackets.

וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיָּצֻרוּ עָלָיו בְּאָבֵלָה בֵּית הַמַּעֲכָה וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ סֹלְלָה אֶל־הָעִיר וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֵל וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר   20:15 אֶת־יוֹאָב מַשְׁחִיתִם לְהַפִּיל הַחוֹמָה׃

2Sam. 20:15   And they came and set siege against him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound to the city that stood in a trench.  And all the people who were with Joab were battering to throw down the wall.

וַתִּקְרָא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה מִן־הָעִיר שִׁמְעוּ שִׁמְעוּ אִמְרוּ־נָא אֶל־יוֹאָב קְרַב עַד־הֵנָּה וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֵלֶיךָ׃   20:16

2Sam. 20:16   Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen, listen!  Say, I pray you, to Joab, ‘Approach up to here that I may speak to you.’”

וַיִּקְרַב אֵלֶיהָ וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַאַתָּה יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אָנִי וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי אֲמָתֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר שֹׁמֵעַ   20:17 אָנֹכִי׃

2Sam. 20:17   And he came near to her and the woman said, “Are you Joab?”  And he said, “I am.”  And she said to him, “Hear the words of your handmaid.”  And he said, “I am listening.”

וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאמֹר דַּבֵּר יְדַבְּרוּ בָרִאשֹׁנָה לֵאמֹר שָׁאֹל יְשָׁאֲלוּ בְּאָבֵל וְכֵן הֵתַמּוּ׃   20:18

2Sam. 20:18   Then she spoke saying, “At first they would often speak saying, ‘Surely they will seek counsel in Abel.’  Then afterwards they stopped.”

אָנֹכִי שְׁלֻמֵי אֱמוּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהָמִית עִיר וְאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָמָּה תְבַלַּע נַחֲלַת יְהוָה׃   20:19

2Sam. 20:19   “I am of the peaceful, of the faithful, of Israel.  You are seeking to destroy a city and a mother in Israel.  Why should you swallow up the inheritance of Israel?”

וַיַּעַן יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמַר חָלִילָה חָלִילָה לִי אִם־אֲבַלַּע וְאִם־אַשְׁחִית׃   20:20

2Sam. 20:20   And Joab answered as he said, “God forbid, God forbid, for me to either swallow up or destroy!”

לֹא־כֵן הַדָּבָר כִּי אִישׁ מֵהַר אֶפְרַיִם שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי שְׁמוֹ נָשָׂא יָדוֹ בַּמֶּלֶךְ בְּדָוִד תְּנוּ־אֹתוֹ לְבַדּוֹ   20:21 וְאֵלְכָה מֵעַל הָעִיר וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֶל־יוֹאָב הִנֵּה רֹאשׁוֹ מֻשְׁלָךְ אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַד הַחוֹמָה׃

2Sam. 20:21   “Such is not the matter.  But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri is his name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David.  Deliver him by himself and I will depart from the city.”  And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head is being thrown to you over the wall.”

וַתָּבוֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם בְּחָכְמָתָהּ וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֶל־יוֹאָב וַיִּתְקַע   20:22 בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיָּפֻצוּ מֵעַל־הָעִיר אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וְיוֹאָב שָׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

2Sam. 20:22   Then the woman went to all the people with her wisdom and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw to Joab.  Then he blew on the horn and they dispersed from the city each to his tent.  And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

וְיוֹאָב אֶל כָּל־הַצָּבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנָיָה בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע עַל־ (הַכְּרִי) [הַכְּרֵתִי] וְעַל־הַפְּלֵתִי׃   20:23

2Sam. 20:23   Now Joab was over all the host of Israel, while Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethite and over the Pelethite,

The word in parentheses is missing a tav.  The omission is corrected in the brackets.

וַאֲדֹרָם עַל־הַמַּס וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־אֲחִילוּד הַמַּזְכִּיר׃   20:24

2Sam. 20:24   and Adoram was over the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Achilud was the recorder,

וּשֵׁיָא) [וּשְׁוָא] סֹפֵר וְצָדוֹק וְאֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים׃   20:25)

2Sam. 20:25   and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

The name of Sheva in parentheses is spelled with a yad in place of a vav.  The correction is made in the brackets.

וְגַם עִירָא הַיָּאִרִי הָיָה כֹהֵן לְדָוִד׃   20:26

2Sam. 20:26   And also Ira, the Jairite, was chief minister to David.

 

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