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Sheba, a Benjamite, led a rebellion against King David but was ultimately defeated, and his head was delivered to Joab.
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Sheba, mentioned in 2Samuel 20, was a Benjamite who led a rebellion against King David. After the quelling of Absalom's rebellion and David's return to Jerusalem, Sheba took advantage of the lingering tensions between Israel and Judah. He rallied the men of Israel to abandon David, proclaiming, "We have no share in David, no part in Jesse's son!" (2Sa.20.1). David, recognizing the threat posed by Sheba's rebellion, ordered his men, led by Joab and Abishai, to pursue Sheba. Sheba fled to the city of Abel-beth-maacah, where he sought refuge. Joab besieged the city, but a wise woman intervened and negotiated with him. She convinced the people of the city to behead Sheba and throw his head over the wall to Joab, thus ending the rebellion. The incident with Sheba highlights the fragile unity between Israel and Judah during David's reign and the challenges he faced in maintaining control over the kingdom. It also demonstrates the importance of wise counsel and the role of negotiation in resolving conflicts.
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8 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H7652
Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ramʼs horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesseʼs son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lordʼs servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
So Joabʼs men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.
Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joabʼs hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
As soon as Amasaʼs body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
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.”
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 ramʼs horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.