2 Samuel 19-20
(Sheba's Rebellion)
April 5th

Please refer to one or more Bible versions of your choice to read this section. We recommend that you read at least two versions for added understanding. For your convenience, we have provided six links below, each of which takes you directly to today's chapters in a specific version:

Bible Gateway
2 Samuel 19-20 (King James Version - KJV)
2 Samuel 19-20 (New Revised Standard Version - NRSV)
2 Samuel 19-20 (New International Version - NIV)
2 Samuel 19-20 (The Message - MSG)

US Conference of Catholic Bishops
2 Samuel 19 (New American Bible - NAB) (click next chapter for chapter 20)

British Bible Society
2 Samuel 19 (Good News Bible - GNB) (click next for chapter 20)

Key Verse

Never!” Joab answered. “I will never ruin or destroy your city! That is not our plan. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, who is from the hill country of Ephraim, started a rebellion against King David. Hand over this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”

- 2 Samuel 20:20-21

Summary of Chapters

This time it's a trouble-maker named Sheba who leads a rebellion against David, but he is handed over by the people at Abel Beth Maccah. The opportunity for this rebellion arose during the confusion that followed the defeat of Absalom. David was slow to recognize his men and return to Jerusalem because he was grieving over Absalom. During this gap the twelve tribes began to asset their independence.

Chapter 20 explains that the rabble-rouser, like Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin. Sheba took advantage of temporary chaos by rallying the other tribes against David’s tribe of Judah.

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 Samuel 20:1 (KJV)

Sheba was trying to tear apart the country, but David was trying to bind it together by embracing some of the key people from the previous rebellion and adding them to his management team. In a somewhat surprising move, he named his former opponent, Amasa, as the head of his army, thereby supplanting Joab. Joab was not happy about that decision and began to look for an opportunity to resolve the problem the way he had resolved other problems in the past – by eliminating his rival.

David sent Joab and the army after Sheba. They were prepared to attack the town of Abel Beth Maakah, but a wise woman negotiated with Joab, pledging to give him the head of Sheba if he does not attack. The people delivered, the town was spared, and another rebellion was terminated. However, on the way to battle, Joab struck down Amasa, whom David had appointed to lead the armed forces.

This chapter brings to a conclusion the chronological narrative of David from the second book of Samuel. There is another set of chapters that follow, but these are not necessarily ordered by time, and are considered by many experts to be an appendix.

Reflection and Application

The woman in the city of Abel Beth Maccah who stopped the attack by Joab demonstrates that wise words can help avert a disaster. She is probably the wisest person in the tail end of this book. David often allowed his emotions to overrule his mind as he dove head-first into trouble. Joab is a more rational man, acting decisively even in a crisis. But he does not value human life or submit to authority. He has a modus operandi of killing opponents even when told not to and does not linger to grieve.

By contrast, this unnamed woman from Abel had the clarity of mind to explore different solutions to a problem. She figured she could reason with Joab and knew that if you give a person what they want then they will be willing to change their tactics. She saved many lives and preserved the structure of that ancient city. This ability to see between the branches is one of the hallmarks of wisdom.

Questions and Prayers for Further Reflection

1. Do you recall a situation in which you were able to negotiate a peaceful settlement in a conflict (or maybe you were a participant that reached a peaceful accord)?
2. What is another way that Joab could have dealt with his rival Amasa?
3. How do we get ourselves to think clearly when we are about to be attacked?
   

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow's reading: 2 Samuel 21-24 (The Appendix)

Comments and Questions
If you have comments or questions, please add them to our Comments page, email to the author at ted@listeningforGod.org, or share your comments or questions via the Listening for God Twitter account www.twitter.com/listeningforgod