Summary and Outline

Outline of Text

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:1-2 - KJV

1. And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

There was a wicked man named Sheba, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, and he blew the trumpet and said "We have no part in David or any inheritance in Jesse, every man to his own tents." So every man of Israel left David and followed Sheba - but the Judeans stuck with David from Jordan to Jerusalem.

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:3 - KJV 3. And David 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 ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

And David came back to his house and he took the ten concubines who he had left behind (who Absalom had slept with openly) and he put them in their own place and fed them, but never went to them again, and they stayed that way until they died, living like widows.

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:4-13 - KJV 4. Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present. 5. So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6. 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. 7. And there 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. 8. When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out. 9. And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11. And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12. And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. 13. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

So David said to Amasa, go get my army together from the men of Judah, and meet me back in three days. So Amasa went to get the army together, but he took longer than three days. So David said to Abishai, Sheba is going to do more damage than Absalom did, you take my servants and go after him, or he is going to take control of some walled cities and we won't be able to get him. So Abishai pursued Amasa with Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the mighty men. When they got to the great stone at Gibeon, they met Amasa. When Joab went to meet him, the sword fell out of his oversized girdle (likely on purpose).
Joab went to him and said "Are you healthy, my brother" and as he said this he took Amasa by the beard like he was going to kiss him, but with his other hand (which Amasa didn't notice) he stabbed Amasa in the fifth rib, so his intestines came out on the ground. It was a fatal blow. So Joab joined Abishai his brother. One of Joab's men said "If you love Joab and are loyal to David, lets follow Joab." But Amasa just lied there, bleeding out in the middle of the road. And one of the men pulled him off the road and covered him with a blanket, and all the people followed Joab to pursue Sheba.

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:14-15 - KJV 14. And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

And Joab went through all the tribes of Israel and came to a place called Abel. And they besieged Sheba in Abel and started building a ramp up the city walls and the army battered the walls of the city to destroy it.

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:16-22 - KJV 16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. 17. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. 18. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. 19. I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD? 20. And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21. 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. 22. Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

Then a wise woman cried out form the city and asked for Joab and when Joab came she said "is this Joab?" and Joab said "I am he." And she said "It's been said for a long time that you should come to Abel for counsel, because they are wise there. I am one of the peaceable and faithful in Israel. Why are you trying to destroy a city and mother in Israel? Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?" And Joab answered "Far be it from me, that I would swallow up or destroy. You have this wrong. We are just after a man from mount Ephraim, a man named Sheba, who has started a rebellion against David. If you just give us that man, we will leave your city." And the woman said "Look, we'll throw his head over the wall." Then the women wen to all the people with her wisdom, and they cut of Sheba's head and threw it over to Joab. He blew his trumpet and they left the city and went back to their tent. And Joab went back to the Jerusalem to the king.

[!bible] 2 Samuel 20:23-26 - KJV 23. Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 24. And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder: 25. And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 26. And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

And Joab was put over all of the armies of Israel, and Benaiah was over the Cherethites and Pelethites. And Adoram was over the tribute. And Jehoshaphat was the recorder. And Sheva was the scribe. And Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. And Ira was a chief ruler for David.

[!bible] 1 Chronicles 2:13-17 - KJV 13. And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, 14. Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15. Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: 16. Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. 17. And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.

And Jesse sons were Eliab and Abinadab and Shimma and Nethanel and Raddai and Ozem and David. His daughters were Zeruiah and Abaigail. Zeruiah had Joab and Asahel and Abishai. And Abigail had Amasa. Amasa's father was Jether the Ismeelite.

Maps

Themes

Cross References

Commentary notes

From J.D. Greear

As quickly as David returns to Jerusalem, another Benjamite (like Saul) starts wreaking havoc.

Greear says this:

David charged Joab with quashing Sheba's insurrection. Instead of helping things, Joab made them worse. We are not exactly sure why Joab did it, but he disemboweled and murdered Amasa, David's military commander...As a result, those who are loyal to Amasa now turn on David!

^ This isn't in the text at all.

From Tim Chester

Once again we see Joab in all his ambiguity: fiercely loyal to David yet violently disobedient.

Chester suggests that Amasa's body was causing "rubber necking" with the troops.

Verse 14 seems to indicate that Sheba's support melted away once Joab was after him.

The listing of David's officers at the end of the chapter is a sign that order has been restored.

Joab seems to be the one who is really in charge. It was Joab who rehabilitated Absolom. It was Joab who executed him...Joab and Abishai were not under David's control.

Chester makes the point that in all of the uncertainty in 2 Samuel 20 - what comes out as certain is:

1. The word of God
2. God's king will reign

From Chuck Swindoll

Swindoll skips this chapter. 😡

From David Guzik

Sheba's rebellion was based on three principles that are common with rebels:

1. We have no share in David - Sheba denied the kings sovereignty. He denies David's right to reign.
2. The son of Jesse - Sheba devalued the king's identity. Emphasizing David's humble beginning.
3. Every man to his tents - Sheba decided to go his own way and drew others with him.

Sheba succeeded in drawing the ten northern tribes and David had another civil war to deal with.

It is the nature of men to divide, we must be held together by the Holy Spirit.

On the 10 concubines:

He could not well divorce them; he could not punish them, as they were not in transgression; he could not more be familiar with them, because they had been defiled by his son; and to have married them to other men might have been dangerous to the state (Clarke)

Amasa wasn't up to the job, he was not a competent military man.

Joab murdered Amasa - the man who replaced him as commander of David's armies - out of both rivalry and concern that Amasa did not genuinely support David.

Seige warfare was terrible ordeal for the citizens of the besieged city, and this wise woman was smart enough to seek a speedy end to the struggle.

We can make a spiritual analogy out of Sheba, his rebellion and his refuge in the city of Abel. "Every man's breast is a city enclosed. Every sin is a traitor that lurketh within those walls. God calleth for Sheba's head, neither hath he any quarrel to us for our person, but for our sin. If we love the head of our traitor above the life of our soul, we shall justly perish in the vengeance." (Trapp)

From AI

Strong insights so far:

• Chester's point about Joab's ambiguity (loyal yet disobedient) is excellent
• Guzik's three principles of rebellion are very preachable
• The analogy of Sheba as sin that must be "handed over" has sermon potential
• Chester's observation that God's word and God's king endure through uncertainty is profound

Areas to explore further:

1. The Wise Woman of Abel This is a rich character study you haven't fully developed yet. She represents:

• Wisdom over violence
• Diplomatic resolution vs. destruction
• Someone who values peace and seeks to preserve life
• A contrast to the male characters who default to violence

2. David's Leadership Crisis

• Why does David seem so passive/reactive throughout this chapter?
• What does this say about leadership during crisis?
• The contrast between David's inaction and Joab's decisive (if brutal) action

3. The Theme of Consequences

• Sheba's rebellion as fallout from Absalom's rebellion
• The concubines as living reminders of David's failures
• How sin creates ongoing complications

4. Joab as a Complex Character

• He's simultaneously the solution and the problem
• Gets results but through questionable means
• Represents pragmatism vs. righteousness

Potential sermon angles emerging:

• "When Sin Takes Refuge" (using Guzik's analogy)
• "Wisdom in Crisis" (focusing on the wise woman)
• "The Cost of Compromise" (David's ongoing problems from past decisions)

What direction feels most compelling to you?

Audio Sermons

Return of the King - Alastair Begg https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/your-kingdom-come-part-one-second-samuel/

Sheba's Seditious Flying Head - Matt Mager https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/54142316371

Mager makes the application of comparing the division in Israel to division in churches - describing how divisions come from our own pride and desires and that dividing the church is a serious matter and puts a target on your head.

Pride brings division. Rebellion brings division. Jealousy leads to division.

In contrast the woman acts as a peacemaker.