2 Samuel 20

20 ¹One useless man wey im name na Sheba, di pikin of Bichri, wey be Benjamite, dey there. E blow trumpet come shout, “We no get any share for David, we no get any inheritance for Jesse im pikin! Everybody, go your tent, Israel!”

²So all di men of Israel comot leave David to follow Sheba, di pikin of Bichri; but di men of Judah hold tight to their king, from Jordan reach Jerusalem.

³David come reach im house for Jerusalem, and di king take di ten concubine wey e leave to mind di house, put dem under guard. E dey provide for dem, but e no sleep with dem. Dem stay lock up until dem die, dey live like widow.

⁴Di king tell Amasa, “Call di men of Judah come meet me within three days, and make you self dey here.”

⁵Amasa go call Judah, but e waste time pass di time wey di king don set for am. ⁶David tell Abishai, “Sheba, di pikin of Bichri, go now do us wahala pass even Absalom. Take your oga men and chase am, if not e go reach city wey get strong wall come escape from us.”

⁷So Joab im men, di Cherethite people, di Pelethite people, and all di mighty warrior comot after am from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, di pikin of Bichri. ⁸For di big stone wey dey Gibeon, Amasa meet dem. Joab wear im military cloth, with belt wey hold sword for im sheath for im waist; as e step forward, di sword fall comot. ⁹Joab tell Amasa, “You dey well, my brother?” Joab take im right hand hold Amasa beard as if say e wan kiss am. ¹⁰Amasa no notice di sword wey dey Joab hand. Joab strike am for im belle, im intestine pour for ground. Without say Joab strike am second time, Amasa die. Then Joab and im brother Abishai pursue Sheba, di pikin of Bichri. ¹¹One of Joab young men stand near Amasa come talk, “Whoever like Joab, whoever dey for David—follow Joab!” ¹²Amasa lie down dey roll for im own blood for di middle of di road. When di man see say all di soldier dey stop for there, e drag Amasa comot from di road go inside di field come throw cloth cover am, because everybody wey pass dey stop. ¹³Once dem don move am comot from di road, all di men follow Joab go pursue Sheba, di pikin of Bichri. ¹⁴Sheba pass through all di tribe of Israel reach Abel of Beth Maacah; all di Bicrite people gather come follow am too. ¹⁵Dem come surround am for Abel of Beth Maacah. Dem build siege ramp against di city, e stand against di outside wall, while all Joab soldier dey knock di wall so e go fall.

¹⁶Then one wise woman call from di city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, make I fit talk with you.’” ¹⁷As e come near, di woman ask, “Na you be Joab?” “Na me,” e talk. She talk, “Hear di words of your servant.” “I dey listen,” e talk.

¹⁸She talk, “For di old days dem dey talk, ‘Just go ask for advice for Abel,’ and dat one go settle di matter. ¹⁹I dey among di people wey dey peaceful and faithful for Israel. You dey try to destroy one city, one mother for Israel. Why you wan swallow di inheritance of our Papa?” ^a a v19 One ‘mother city’ na big regional center wey small small towns dey depend on for guidance and protection.

²⁰Joab answer, “God forbid, I no go ever swallow or destroy am! ²¹No be so. But Sheba, di pikin of Bichri, from di hills of Ephraim, don rise against di king, against David. Hand over dis one man, and I go pull back from di city.” Di woman tell Joab, “Dem go throw im head give you over di wall.”

²²Di woman go meet all di people with her wise plan. Dem cut off di head of Sheba, di pikin of Bichri, come throw am give Joab. E blow trumpet, and dem scatter comot from di city, each person go im own house. Joab return go meet di king for Jerusalem.

²³Joab dey lead all di army of Israel; Benaiah, di pikin of Jehoiada, dey lead di Cherethite and Pelethite people. ²⁴Adoram dey in charge of di forced labor; Jehoshaphat, di pikin of Ahilud, na di recorder; ²⁵Sheva na secretary; and Zadok with Abiathar na priest; ²⁶and Ira di Jairite sef na David priest.