Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 20:2

So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed committed, sticking with their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. When David arrived home in Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to watch the palace and placed them in seclusion, under guard. He provided for their needs but didn't visit them. They were virtual prisoners until they died, widows as long as they lived.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abishai;   Citizens;   David;   Judah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Judah, the Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Sheba;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Benjamin;   Sheba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Sexuality, Human;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Sheba;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Rehoboam;   Sheba (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abel-Beth-Maachah or Abel-Beth-Maacah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Benjamin;   Samuel, Books of;   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 - Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.
Hebrew Names Version
So all the men of Yisra'el went up from following David, and followed Sheva the son of Bikhri; but the men of Yehudah joined with their king, from the Yarden even to Yerushalayim.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then all the men of Israel went up from following after David, following instead after Sheba the son of Bicri, but the men of Judah stuck to their king from the Jordan up to Jerusalem.
English Standard Version
So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
New Century Version
So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people of Judah stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
New English Translation
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
Amplified Bible
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah stayed faithfully with their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible
So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained loyal to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So euery man of Israel went from Dauid & followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri: but the men of Iudah claue fast vnto their King, from Iorden euen to Ierusalem.
Legacy Standard Bible
So all the men of Israel went up from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Contemporary English Version
So they stopped following David and went off with Sheba. But the people of Judah stayed close to David all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
Complete Jewish Bible
All the men of Isra'el left off following David and went after Sheva the son of Bikhri. But the men of Y'hudah stuck with their king, from the Yarden to Yerushalayim.
Darby Translation
Then all the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Easy-to-Read Version
So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people from Judah stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
George Lamsa Translation
So all the men of Israel ceased from following David, and followed Shamoa, the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained loyal to the king from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
Good News Translation
So the Israelites deserted David and went with Sheba, but the men of Judah remained loyal and followed David from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
Literal Translation
And every man of Israel went up from following David, going after Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then fell euery man in Israel from Dauid, and folowed Seba the sonne of Bichri. But the men of Iuda cleued vnto their kynge from Iordane vnto Ierusale.
American Standard Version
So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Bible in Basic English
So all the men of Israel, turning away from David, went after Sheba, the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah were true to their king, going with him from Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so euery man of Israel went fro Dauid, and folowed Seba the sonne of Bichri: But the men of Iuda claue fast vnto their king from Iordane to Hierusalem.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah did cleave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
King James Version (1611)
So euery man of Israel went vp from after Dauid, and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri: but the men of Iudah claue vnto their king, from Iordane euen to Ierusalem.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sabee the son of Bochori: but the men of Juda adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
English Revised Version
So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And al Israel was departid fro Dauid, and suede Siba, the sone of Bothri; forsothe the men of Juda cleuyden to her kyng, fro Jordan `til to Jerusalem.
Young's Literal Translation
And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem.
Update Bible Version
So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
Webster's Bible Translation
So every man of Israel, withdrawing from David, followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
World English Bible
So 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.
New King James Version
So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.
New Living Translation
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
New Life Bible
So all the men of Israel stopped following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah were not moved from following their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
New Revised Standard
So all the people of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but the people of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then went up all the men of Israel from following David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, - but, the men of Judah, clave unto their king, from the Jordan, even as far as Jerusalem.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all Israel departed from David, and followed Seba the son of Bochri: but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto Jerusalem.
Revised Standard Version
So all the men of Israel withdrew from David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

Contextual Overview

1 Just then a good-for-nothing named Sheba son of Bicri the Benjaminite blew a blast on the ram's horn trumpet, calling out, We've got nothing to do with David, there's no future for us with the son of Jesse! Let's get out of here, Israel—head for your tents! 2So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed committed, sticking with their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. When David arrived home in Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to watch the palace and placed them in seclusion, under guard. He provided for their needs but didn't visit them. They were virtual prisoners until they died, widows as long as they lived.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

every man: 2 Samuel 19:41, Psalms 62:9, Psalms 118:8-10, Proverbs 17:14

the men: John 6:66-68, Acts 11:23

from Jordan: 2 Samuel 19:15, 2 Samuel 19:40, 2 Samuel 19:41, 2 Chronicles 10:17

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:12 - my hand 2 Samuel 22:44 - delivered Psalms 53:3 - Every Ecclesiastes 9:18 - sinner Ephesians 4:31 - clamour

Cross-References

Genesis 20:11
Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'"
Genesis 26:1
There was a famine in the land, as bad as the famine during the time of Abraham. And Isaac went down to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
Genesis 26:7
The men of the place questioned him about his wife. He said, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "She's my wife." He was thinking, "These men might kill me to get Rebekah, she's so beautiful."
Genesis 26:16
Finally, Abimelech told Isaac: "Leave. You've become far too big for us."
Ecclesiastes 7:20
There's not one totally good person on earth, Not one who is truly pure and sinless.
Ephesians 4:25
What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
Colossians 3:9
Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So every man of Israel went up from after David,.... Those that met him on the road departed from him, and went no further with him:

[and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri; and made him their captain, who was the author of their mutiny and sedition:

but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan to Jerusalem: never left him, after they had conducted him over Jordan, until they had brought him safely to Jerusalem.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

From Jordan ... - The men of Israel only escorted David from Jordan to Gilgal, and there left him; but the men of Judah in a body went with him all the way to Jerusalem.


 
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