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Complete Jewish Bible

2 Samuel 20:21

That's not how it is. Rather, a man from the hills of Efrayim, Sheva the son of Bikhri, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Just turn him over to me, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Yo'av, "All right, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abel-Beth-Maachah;   Abishai;   Diplomacy;   Ephraim;   Joab;   Politics;   Tact;   Walls, of the Cities;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hands, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abelbethmaachah;   Adoniram;   Sheba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Woman;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Behead;   Sheba;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sheba (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abel-Beth-Maachah or Abel-Beth-Maacah;   Lift;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joab;   Samuel, Books of;   Sheba;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bichri ;   Sheba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;   She'ba;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Gesture;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Beheading;   Yiẓḥaḳ ben Maryon;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”
Hebrew Names Version
The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of Efrayim, Sheva the son of Bikhri 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 Yo'av, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
That is not the matter. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name is Sheba the son Bicri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give only him to us, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head is being thrown down to you over the wall."
English Standard Version
That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
New Century Version
That is not what I want. But there is a man here from the mountains of Ephraim, who is named Sheba son of Bicri. He has turned against King David. If you bring him to me, I will leave the city alone." The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown over the wall to you."
New English Translation
That's not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Joab, "This very minute his head will be thrown over the wall to you!"
Amplified Bible
"That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand [in rebellion] against King David. Only hand him over, and I will leave the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
New American Standard Bible
"Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against King David. Only turn him over, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
Geneva Bible (1587)
The matter is not so, but a man of mout Ephraim (Sheba ye sonne of Bichri by name) hath lift vp his had against ye King, euen against Dauid: deliuer vs him onely, and I will depart from the citie. And the woman saide vnto Ioab, Beholde, his head shalbe throwen to thee ouer the wall.
Legacy Standard Bible
Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give him over alone, and I will go from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
Contemporary English Version
That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone." The woman told Joab, "We will throw his head over the wall."
Darby Translation
The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
Easy-to-Read Version
But there is a man in your city from the hill country of Ephraim. He is named Sheba son of Bicri. He rebelled against King David. Bring him to me, and I will leave the city alone." The woman said to Joab, "All right. His head will be thrown over the wall to you."
George Lamsa Translation
The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Shamoa, the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David; deliver him alive to me and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Now his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.
Good News Translation
That is not our plan. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, who is from the hill country of Ephraim, started a rebellion against King David. Hand over this one man, and I will withdraw from the city." "We will throw his head over the wall to you," she said.
Literal Translation
The case is not such. For a man of the hills of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri is his name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. If you will give him upby himself, then I will go away from thecity. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head will be thrown over the wall to you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The matter is not so, but a certayne man of mount Ephraim named Seba the sonne of Bichri, hath lifte vp him selfe agaynst kynge Dauid, delyuer him onely, and I wyl departe from the cite. The woman sayde vnto Ioab: Beholde, his heade shal be cast vnto the ouer the wall.
American Standard Version
The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of 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.
Bible in Basic English
Not so: but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba, son of Bichri, by name, has taken up arms against the king, against David: give up this man only, and I will go away from the town. And the woman said to Joab, His head will be dropped over the wall to you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The matter is not so: But a man of mount Ephraim (Seba the sonne of Bichri by name) hath lyft vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: Delyuer vs him onely, & I wyll depart from the citie. And the woman said vnto Ioab: Behold, his head shalbe throwen to thee ouer the wall.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The matter is not so; but a man of the hill-country of 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.'
King James Version (1611)
The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim (Sheba the sonne of Bichri by name) hath lift vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: deliuer him onely, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said vnto Ioab, Behold, his head shall be throwen to thee ouer the wall.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Is not the case thus, that a man of mount Ephraim, Sabee, son of Bochori by name, has even lifted up his hand against king David? Give him only to me, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
English Revised Version
The matter is not so: but a man of the hill country of 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The thing hath not so it silf; but a man of the hil of Effraym, Siba, sone of Bochri, bi surname, reiside his hond ayens kyng Dauid; bitake ye him aloone, and we schulen go awei fro the citee. And the womman seide to Joab, Lo! his heed schal be sent to thee bi the wal.
Young's Literal Translation
The matter [is] not so; for a man of the hill-country of Ephraim -- Sheba son of Bichri his name -- hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David; give ye up him by himself, and I go away from the city.' And the woman saith unto Joab, `Lo, his head is cast unto thee over the wall.'
Update Bible Version
The 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. And the woman said to Joab, Look, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
World English Bible
The 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.
New King James Version
That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
New Living Translation
That's not my purpose. All I want is a man named Sheba son of Bicri from the hill country of Ephraim, who has revolted against King David. If you hand over this one man to me, I will leave the town in peace." "All right," the woman replied, "we will throw his head over the wall to you."
New Life Bible
That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim has turned against King David. His name is Sheba the son of Bichri. Give up only him, and I will leave the city." And the woman said to Joab, "See, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."
New Revised Standard
That is not the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman said to Joab, "His head shall be thrown over the wall to you."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Not so, is the matter! but, a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David, give up him alone, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Lo! his head, shall be cast unto thee, through the wall.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against king David: deliver him only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab: Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.
Revised Standard Version
That is not true. But a man of the hill country of E'phraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Jo'ab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."

Contextual Overview

14 Sheva went through all the tribes of Isra'el, to Avel and Beit-Ma‘akhah, and to all the Berim; they assembled and followed him. 15 Yo'av's troops came and put him under siege in Avel of Beit-Ma‘akhah — they put up a ramp in the moat against the city wall; and all the people with Yo'av battered the wall in order to bring it down. 16 Then a wise woman in the city shouted, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Yo'av, ‘Come over here, so that I can speak with you.'" 17 He approached her, and the woman asked, "Are you Yo'av?" He answered, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to what your servant has to say." He answered, "I'm listening." 18 Then she said, "In the old days they used to say, ‘They will ask advice at Avel'; and that would end the discussion. 19 We are among those in Isra'el who are peaceful and faithful. Why are you destroying a city and a mother in Isra'el? Why swallow up the inheritance of Adonai ?" 20 Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything! 21 That's not how it is. Rather, a man from the hills of Efrayim, Sheva the son of Bikhri, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Just turn him over to me, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Yo'av, "All right, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. They cut off the head of Sheva the son of Bikhri and threw it out to Yo'av. So he sounded the shofar, and they left the city, sending each man to his tent; while Yo'av returned to the king in Yerushalayim.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a man: 2 Samuel 20:1, Judges 2:9, Judges 7:24, 2 Kings 5:22, Jeremiah 4:15, Jeremiah 50:19

by name: Heb. by his name

lifted: 2 Samuel 23:18, 1 Samuel 24:6, 1 Samuel 26:9

his head: 2 Samuel 17:2, 2 Samuel 17:3, 2 Kings 10:7, Judges 18:4-8

Reciprocal: Judges 4:9 - into Judges 9:53 - woman Judges 9:55 - General Judges 20:13 - deliver 2 Samuel 20:11 - He that 1 Kings 11:27 - lifted up Luke 6:41 - but

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The matter [is] not so,.... I am not come with the army against this city with any ill will to it, and with an intention to destroy it: the case is this,

but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name; for though he was by birth a Benjaminite, his dwelling was in Mount Ephraim in that tribe; unless there was a place of this name in the tribe of Benjamin, so called from any memorable event there, as the wood of Ephraim, 2 Samuel 18:6. This same man, says Joab,

hath lifted up his hand against the king, [even] against David; is in rebellion against the king, even so great and good a king as David; he has lifted up his hand, and blown a trumpet to draw off men from David, and after himself; he has committed acts of hostility and treason; he has drawn his sword, and raised an insurrection and rebellion in the nation:

deliver him only, and I will depart from the city: he did not desire any of his followers to be delivered up, only himself, knowing the rebellion would cease upon the delivery of him; and being unwilling that the blood of any Israelite should be shed, whom he had unawares drawn into this rebellion, and who he knew would return to their own cities upon this:

and the woman said unto Joab, behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall; she knew the fright the inhabitants of the city were in, and how disposed they were to do anything to save their city; she knew what influence she had among them, and how weak Sheba's party was, and therefore could assure Joab that this should be done.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 20:21. His head shall be thrown to thee — Thus it appears she had great sway in the counsels of the city; and that the punishment of a state rebel was then, what it is now in this kingdom, beheading.


 
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