Sheba Sounds The Trumpet

1There happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. He blew the trumpet and said, “We have no share in David, and no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2So every man of Israel went up from following David to follow Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah held fast to their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3When David came to his house at Jerusalem, the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in guarded custody and provided for them, but he did not go in to them. So they were kept confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

4Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me within three days, and you, remain here.”

5So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the appointed time that he had set for him.

6Then David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. You, take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he find fortified cities for himself and escape from our sight.”

7Joab’s men, the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men went out after him. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.