THE REBELLION OF SHEBA THE SON OF BICHRI The sword was never to depart from David’s kingdom as a divine chastisement for killing Uriah the Hittite; Thus, for no obvious reason, Sheba the son of Bisri, the Benjamite, rebelled against him, and persuaded 10 tribes of Israel to follow his suit, to leave only Judah with David. God proclaimed his strong hand, as victory unexpectedly was realized for David, and with no bloodshed, except for that of Sheba himself. So God allowed for chastising David by that temptation, although He also created the way out. . 1- The rebellion of Sheba son of Bichri 1-3 2- Joab murders Amasa 4-10 3- Killing Sheba son of Bishri 5-22 4- David’s government organized 23-26 1- The rebellion of Sheba son of Bishri: ‘Sheba,’ a Hebrew name that means (seven) or (oath)1, was a Benjamite by birth (2 Samuel 20; 21); He, and Shemei were of the tribe of Saul. Sheba might have had an apparent or concealed role in the rebellion of Absalom against David his father. The Benjamites came to escort David across the Jordan, but became angry because of what the men of Judah said (2 Samuel 19: 41-43); and for a trifle reason, Sheba blew a trumpet, and the men of Israel (10 tribes) returned to their land in rebellion against David; Yet instead of doing that, they came back to gather together to make a new war under the leadership of Sheba (1 King 12: 16). It is obvious that what was happening was not natural: the people were changing in an amazing way: They were first with David; then followed Absalom; then returned to David; and now they were leaving him to follow Sheba. Most probably, the great majority of them, did not know the reason of following or leaving somebody ... There must be a hidden hand behind those incidents; namely the “divine will,” for the sake of chastising David. David did not find rest after the rebellion of his son Absalom, to see Sheba playing the same role, gathering 10 tribes around him. It is as though God’s intention was not to let David have rest from affliction; nor the bitterness of his sin to leave his mouth. David came to his house in Jerusalem ; took the 10 concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion, and supported them, as it was not fitting for him to go in to them after Absalom did (2 Samuel 16: 22). 2- Joab murders Amasa: The king commanded Amasa (David’s nephew, and Joab’s cousin), to gather the men of Judah within three days; It was a very short notice, yet the situation was too dangerous for any delay; as David intended to strike Sheba, before loosing the whole kingdom. David disregarded Joab, and appointed Amasa a commander of his army for several reasons: a- David used to keep his promises whatever the circumstances were; He had 1 The Westminster Dict. of the Bible, p. 860. 139 previously sent for Amasa to return to him, and promised to set him a commander instead of Joab (2 Samuel 19: 13). b- If Sheba gathered together all the tribes except for Judah, appointing Amasa, the previous commander of Absalom’s army, would send the message that David was opening his arms for everyone to work with and in them. c- For those old disputes between David and Joab, with which we already dealt (see 2 Samuel 19). Because Amasa delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him, David commanded Abishai the brother of Joab, to pursue Sheba ; which he did with his brother Joab and his men. As Joab, together with his men of Judah and Benjamin, encountered Amasa at the large stone which is in Gibeon; He took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, as though to kiss him, and struck him in the stomach, with a sword he hid in his left hand. Amasa died, and was left wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. Joab proclaimed before the people, saying:“Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab” (2 Samuel 20: 11). As though he wanted to confirm to them, that he killed Amasa because of his treason against David; and that he (Joab) was David’s first and faithful man. By that he drew even Amasa’s men behind him and Abishai, to pursue Sheba the son of Bishri; leaving behind, Amasa wallowing in his blood, after moving his body from the highway, and throwing a garment over him. Joab’s personality remains peculiar and confusing: From one aspect, he was true in his faithfulness to David. Although he differed from David in their ways of thinking, he never betrayed him, nor was slothful in giving all his energy for the sake of establishing his kingdom. He accompanied him all the way, but was hasty to realize his peace, through actions, that David considered rash, as for example killing Abner and Amasa ... There was probably a hidden motive behind that; namely having been jealous of them as mighty commanders of the army; so he intended to get rid of their competition. He also killed Absalom, disregarding the king’s orders; as long as that was for the sake of the peace of the king and the kingdom. He did not care for the means, as long as it realizes the ultimate goal. 3- killing Sheba son of Bishri: The people, led by Joab and his brother Abishai, proceeded toward the north, until they reached ‘Abel and Beth Maachah,’ meaning (Pasture of the house of injustice)1 or (Pasture close to Beth Maachah)2; a fortified city in the territory of the tribe of Naphtali, known for the wisdom of its inhabitants, and their abidance to Jewish traditions. Probably in its place nowadays is ‘Tel Abel’ or (Hill of wheat), a village west of the Jordan, on a plateau over the valley; 12 miles north of the lake of ‘El-Hola’ facing Dan; surrounded by a fertile plain, with plenty of water sources, called ‘Abel Maim’ or (Pasture of water) (2 Chronicles 16: 4). Joab and his men cast up a siege mound against the city (a kind of wall or dirt sill to protect them), and besieged it. All the people who were with Joab battered the city wall to throw it down. The prudent inhabitants of the city realized the danger they were facing; Then a . 1 قاموس الكتاب المقدس، ص ١ 2 The Westminster Dict. of the Bible, p. 3. 140 wise woman cried out: “Hear, Hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you’ “ (2 Samuel 20: 16). When he had come near to her, the woman said to him: “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel, and so they would end disputes” (2 Samuel 20: 18). That was a famous quotation that implied that ‘Abel’ was known for its wisdom, that many people used to come to seek its prudent counsel, to end their disputes. It is as though she was saying to him: “Why haven’t you come to us to negotiate; knowing that we are peaceful and prudent?! And she added: “Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord? “ (2 Samuel 20: 20) meaning: “You are attacking and destroying a city, that was a gift from God to its inhabitants” {According to the law, he was supposed to offer peace, and negotiate before attacking (Deuteronomy 10: 10).] Joab answered and said: “Far be it; Far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bishri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city” (2 Samuel 20: 21). By her wisdom, she could convince her people to cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bishri, and threw it out to Joab, who then blew a trumpet, and withdrew from the city. ‘Sheba’ symbolizes (pride); when man assumes that he is in need of nothing; a sickness that affected the Bishop of the Church of the Laodiceans, to be rebuked by God, saying: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3: 17). Feeling of self fulfillment, and of not needing God, destroys all possibilities of man, to become wretched and miserable, etc.... That was what Sheba did, as he gathered together around him, 10 tribes, to create a kingdom for himself against David; if it was not for the wisdom of that woman who cut off his head, and threw it over the city wall, to restore peace to the kingdom of Israel. If the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17: 21), pride would otherwise be capable to destroy all your energies, feelings, emotions, talents, and capabilities, for all to work through it, against the Son of David; to set an adversary and opposing kingdom. We need wisdom, the wisdom of the cross, capable of striking pride, of cutting off its head, and of throwing it outside of us in order for us to restore our peace and have the Son of David back to reign in us.
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