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2 Samuel 20:21

BichriDavidEphraimJoabSheba

19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

20 “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
KJV
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.
WEB
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.”
ASV
The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of 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.
DARBY
The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
BLB
The matter [is] not so! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
ÅB
Det har seg ikke så. Men en mann fra Efra'im-fjellet som heter Seba, sønn av Bikri, har løftet sin hånd mot kongen, mot David; la meg bare få ham, så skal jeg dra bort fra byen. Da sa kvinnen til Joab: Hans hode skal bli kastet ut til deg over muren.
OTB
Det er ikke tilfelle. En mann fra Efraims fjelland, Sjeba, sønn av Bikri ved navn, har løftet opp sin hånd mot kong David. Overgi ham bare, så vil jeg trekke meg tilbake fra byen." Kvinnen sa til Joab, "Se, hans hode skal bli kastet til deg over muren."
B1930
Det har sig ikke så. Men en mann fra Efra'im-fjellet som heter Seba, sønn av Bikri, har løftet sin hånd mot kongen, mot David; la mig bare få ham, så skal jeg dra bort fra byen. Da sa kvinnen til Joab: Hans hode skal bli kastet ut til dig over muren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 7:24

    Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim to say, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth-barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth-barah.

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  • 2 Samuel 20:1

    Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”

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  • Jeremiah 4:15

    For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.

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  • Judges 2:9

    They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

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  • Jeremiah 50:19

    I will return Israel to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.

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  • 1 Samuel 24:6

    So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

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  • Judges 18:4–8

    “Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

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  • Joshua 24:33

    Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

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