2 Samuel 20: Sheba's Revolt and Joab's Pursuit

Short answer: Second Samuel 20 recounts Sheba's rebellion against David, the murder of Amasa by Joab, and the siege of Abel, which ends when a wise woman convinces the city to throw Sheba's head to Joab. The chapter closes with a list of David's officials, showing the kingdom's administration.

What 2 Samuel 20 says

The chapter opens with a troublemaker named Sheba, a Benjamite, who blows a trumpet and declares that Israel has no share in David. His words ignite a revolt, and the men of Israel abandon David to follow Sheba, while the men of Judah remain loyal. David returns to Jerusalem and deals with his ten concubines by placing them in custody, providing for them but never going in to them again. They live as widows until death. David then orders Amasa to muster the men of Judah within three days, but Amasa delays beyond the set time. Seeing the threat, David tells Abishai that Sheba will do more harm than Absalom and orders him to pursue Sheba before he fortifies cities. Joab and his men, along with the Cherethites, Pelethites, and mighty men, set out from Jerusalem.

At the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa meets them. Joab, dressed for war, has a sword that falls from its sheath as he approaches. Joab greets Amasa as a brother and takes him by the beard to kiss him. Amasa does not notice the sword in Joab's hand, and Joab strikes him in the body, spilling his bowels to the ground. Amasa dies without another blow. Joab and Abishai continue pursuing Sheba. One of Joab's young men stands by the body and calls out that whoever favors Joab and David should follow Joab. Amasa lies wallowing in blood on the highway, and when the man sees the people standing still, he moves Amasa into the field and covers him with a garment. Once Amasa is removed, the people go on after Joab.

Joab pursues Sheba through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and the Berites gather to follow him. They besiege Sheba in Abel and build a mound against the city, battering the wall to throw it down. A wise woman calls out from the city, asking to speak with Joab. She reminds him that Abel was a place where people used to ask counsel and settle matters. She declares that she is among the peaceable and faithful in Israel and asks why Joab seeks to destroy a city and a mother in Israel, swallowing up Yahweh's inheritance. Joab replies that he does not want to destroy, but that Sheba has lifted his hand against King David. He asks only for Sheba to be delivered, and he will depart. The woman promises that Sheba's head will be thrown to him over the wall.

The woman goes to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off Sheba's head and throw it out to Joab. Joab blows the trumpet, and the troops disperse, each to his tent. Joab returns to Jerusalem to the king. The chapter then lists David's officials: Joab over the army, Benaiah over the Cherethites and Pelethites, Adoram over forced labor, Jehoshaphat as recorder, Sheva as scribe, Zadok and Abiathar as priests, and Ira the Jairite as chief minister. This administrative list shows the structure of David's court after the rebellion is quelled.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “There happened to be there a wicked 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!” (2 Samuel 20:1)” (2 Samuel 20:1) — Sheba's trumpet blast and declaration of no portion in David spark a nationwide revolt, showing how quickly loyalties can shift after Absalom's rebellion.
• “But 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 Sheba the son of Bichri.” (2 Samuel 20:10) — Joab's treacherous murder of Amasa, whom David had appointed to replace Joab, reveals the violent power struggles within David's own military leadership.
• “I 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 Yahweh’s inheritance?”” (2 Samuel 20:19) — The wise woman's plea highlights the value of peace and faithfulness in Israel and challenges Joab's intent to destroy a city that is part of Yahweh's inheritance.
• “Then 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. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.” (2 Samuel 20:22) — The woman's wisdom leads to Sheba's death and the end of the siege, demonstrating how a single wise person can save a city and restore peace.

Gospel connection

This chapter shows the persistent fracture in Israel and the violent means used to hold the kingdom together. Sheba's rebellion echoes the earlier revolt of Absalom, revealing that the root of division remains. Joab's murder of Amasa is another act of treachery among David's own leaders, a reminder that even God's chosen king rules over a flawed and violent people. Yet God preserves David's throne, and the rebellion collapses. The wise woman of Abel acts as a peacemaker, willing to sacrifice the rebel to save her city. This points forward to the greater peacemaker, Jesus, who did not destroy a city but gave himself to end the rebellion of sin. Where Joab sheds blood to secure a kingdom, Christ sheds his own blood to secure a people. The chapter's administrative list also shows that David's rule continues, a small picture of the enduring throne that will ultimately belong to the son of David, whose kingdom will have no end.

Application

Readers are asked to consider how quickly a community can be torn apart by a single voice of discontent. Sheba's cry found a ready audience, and the men of Israel abandoned their king. This challenges us to examine whose voices we follow and whether we are swayed by claims that sound like freedom but lead to division. The wise woman of Abel offers a different path. She speaks up for peace and faithfulness, and she is willing to act decisively to protect her city. Her wisdom is not passive; it involves a hard choice. We are invited to be people who seek peace, who value the inheritance of God, and who are willing to confront destructive rebellion in our own hearts and communities. The chapter also warns against the love of power, as seen in Joab's ruthless ambition. It calls us to examine our own motives and to trust that God will establish his kingdom without our grasping.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us why Amasa delayed in mustering Judah, nor does it explain Joab's inner motives beyond his actions. It does not say whether David knew of Joab's plan to kill Amasa or whether he approved. The text does not describe the wise woman's name or her position in the city, only that she was wise. It does not record any reaction from David to Amasa's death or to Joab's return. The chapter does not claim that Sheba's rebellion had widespread support beyond the men of Israel who followed him, nor does it give the size of the forces involved. It does not state whether the ten concubines were provided for permanently or what became of them after David's death. The list of officials is given without commentary on their character or effectiveness. The text is silent on how the people of Abel felt about killing Sheba, and it does not say whether the woman's wisdom was divinely inspired or simply practical. These gaps remind us not to read more into the story than what is written.

Questions for study

1. What does Sheba's declaration in verse 1 reveal about the unity of Israel at this point, and how do the people respond?
2. Why do you think David treated the ten concubines the way he did in verse 3, and what does this say about the consequences of Absalom's rebellion?
3. How does Joab's method of killing Amasa in verses 8 through 10 compare with his earlier actions, and what does it show about his character?
4. What arguments does the wise woman use to persuade Joab to spare the city, and how does her approach model wise peacemaking?
5. What is the significance of the list of officials in verses 23 through 26 for understanding David's kingdom after the rebellion?

Keep reading

Related studies: 2 Samuel 1 Bible Study, 2 Samuel 10 Bible Study, 2 Samuel 11 Bible Study, 2 Samuel 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Why did Sheba rebel against David?

The text says Sheba was a wicked fellow who blew a trumpet and claimed that Israel had no portion in David. He likely exploited the lingering divisions from Absalom's revolt, but the chapter does not give his full motivation.

Why did Joab kill Amasa?

Amasa had been appointed by David to replace Joab as commander, and Joab may have seen him as a rival. The text simply records the murder without explaining Joab's thoughts, but it fits Joab's pattern of violent self-preservation.

How did the wise woman save Abel?

She called out to Joab, appealed to the city's reputation for counsel and peace, and negotiated a solution. She then persuaded the people to cut off Sheba's head and throw it to Joab, ending the siege.