2 Samuel 20:6

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”

⁵ So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.

And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”

⁷ So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

⁸ And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

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: And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
ASV: And David said to Abishai, Now will 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 fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.
DARBY: 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 fortified cities and escape our sight.
BLB: And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. You take the servants of your lord and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape our eyes.”

ÅB: Da sa David til Abisai: Nå kommer Seba, Bikris sønn, til å gjøre oss mere ondt enn Absalom; ta du din herres menn og sett etter ham! Bare han ikke alt har funnet faste byer og har undsloppet oss!
OTB: Da sa David til Abisjai, "Nå vil Sjeba, sønn av Bikri, gjøre oss mer skade enn Absalom. Ta din herres tjenere og forfølg ham raskt, så han ikke finner befestede byer og slipper unna vårt syn."
B1930: Da sa David til Abisai: Nu kommer Seba, Bikris sønn, til å gjøre oss mere ondt enn Absalom; ta du din herres menn og sett efter ham! Bare han ikke alt har funnet faste byer og har undsloppet oss!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 21:17
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 11:11
Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”
Read in context
1 Kings 1:33
“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.
Read in context
2 Samuel 19:7
Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”
Read in context
2 Samuel 10:9–10
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
Read in context
2 Samuel 10:14
When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
Read in context
2 Samuel 18:2
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 2:18
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
Read in context