1There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
1示巴背叛在那裡恰巧有一個流氓名叫示巴，是便雅憫人比基利的兒子。他吹號角，說：“我們在大衛的身上無分，在耶西的兒子身上無干，以色列人哪！各回自己的帳棚去吧！”
2So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
2於是以色列眾人都上山去，不跟隨大衛，卻跟隨了比基利的兒子示巴；猶大人卻緊緊跟隨他們的王，從約旦河直到耶路撒冷。
3David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
3大衛王回到耶路撒冷自己的宮裡，就把以前留下來看守王宮的那十個妃嬪捉起來，關在禁宮裡。王供養她們，卻不再親近她們。她們被禁閉，過著寡婦一般的生活，直到死的日子。
4Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
4約押刺殺亞瑪撒王對亞瑪撒說：“你要在三天之內把猶大人召集到我這裡來。你自己也要在這裡。”
5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
5亞瑪撒就去召集猶大人。他卻耽延，超過了王限定的日期。
6David 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.”
6大衛對亞比篩說：“現在比基利的兒子示巴要加害我們，比押沙龍更甚。你要帶著你主人的僕人去追趕他，免得他找到了設防的城鎮，就避過我們的眼目，從我們的手中逃脫了。”
7There went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
7於是約押的人，基利提人、比利提人和所有的勇士，都跟隨亞比篩出去。他們從耶路撒冷出去，追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.
8他們到了基遍的大磐石那裡，亞瑪撒來與他們會合。那時約押穿著戰衣，腰間束著佩刀的帶子，刀在鞘裡。他往前走的時候，刀掉了下來。
9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
9約押對亞瑪撒說：“我的兄弟，你好嗎？”約押用右手握住亞瑪撒的鬍子，要與他親嘴。
10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
10亞瑪撒沒有防備約押手中的刀，約押用這刀刺進他的肚子，他的內臟就流在地上。不用再刺第二刀，亞瑪撒就死了。約押和他的兄弟亞比篩繼續追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
11There stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
11約押追趕示巴約押的僕從之中，有一個人站在亞瑪撒的屍體旁邊，說：“誰喜歡約押，誰歸順大衛，就當跟隨約押去！”
12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
12亞瑪撒在大道當中，輥在自己的血裡。那人看見經過的眾人都站住，就把亞瑪撒的屍體從大道上拖到田裡，又扔一件衣服把他蓋住，因為他看見眾人來到亞瑪撒的屍體旁邊都站住。
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
13屍體從大道上挪去以後，眾人就都過去，跟隨約押去追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
14He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
14示巴被殺，叛變結束示巴走遍以色列各支派，直到伯．瑪迦的亞比拉和比利人的全境，他們聚集起來跟隨他。
15They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
15所有跟隨約押的人都來了，把示巴圍困在伯．瑪迦的亞比拉。他們對著城築起攻城的土壘，高度與城的外牆一樣。他們撞擊城牆，要把城牆撞倒。
16Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
16有一個聰明的婦人在城牆上呼叫：“請聽！請聽！請你們對約押說：‘請你走近這裡，我有話對你說。’”
17He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your handmaid.” He answered, “I do hear.”
17約押走近婦人那裡，婦人問：“你是約押嗎？”他回答：“我是。”婦人對他說：“請聽婢女的話！”他說：“我正在聽！”
18Then she spoke, saying, “They were used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;’ and so they settled it.
18婦人說：“古時人常說：‘只要在亞比拉求問，事就必成全。’
19I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?”
19我在以色列中是和平信實的人，你卻設法毀滅這座以色列的母城。你為甚麼要吞滅耶和華的產業呢？”
20Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
20約押回答：“絕對不會！我絕對不會吞滅，也不會毀壞。
21The 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. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”
21事情不是這樣的；只因以法蓮山地有一個人名叫示巴，是比基利的兒子，他舉手攻擊大衛王。你們只要把他一人交出來，我就離開這城。”婦人對約押說：“看哪！那人的頭必從這城牆上丟給你。”
22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
22婦人就憑她的智慧去見眾人，他們就把比基利的兒子示巴的頭砍下來，丟給約押；約押吹號角，眾人就離城散開，各回自己的家去了。約押也回耶路撒冷去見大衛王。
23Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;
23大衛的重要臣僕約押作以色列所有軍隊的統帥。耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅統轄基利提人和比利提人；
24and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;
24亞多蘭管理作苦工的人。亞希律的兒子約沙法作史官；
25and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
25示法作書記。撒督和亞比亞他作祭司長；
26and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
26睚珥人以拉也作大衛的祭司。