11. One of Joab’s young men stood beside Amasa and said, “Anyone who favors Joab and is on David’s side should follow Joab.”
12. Amasa was wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the troops stopped as they came to the body, he carried Amasa from the road to the field and threw a sheet over him.
13. As soon as he was moved from the road, everyone followed Joab and pursued Sheba, Bichri’s son.
14. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel (Beth Maacah). All the Berites were gathered together and followed him to the city.
15. Joab’s army came and attacked him in Abel (Beth Maacah). They put up a dirt ramp against the city, and it stood level with the outer wall. All the troops with Joab were trying to destroy the wall and tear it down.
16. Then a clever woman called from the city, “Listen, listen! Tell Joab to come here so that I can talk to him.”
17. He came near, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”“I am,” he answered.“Listen to what I have to say,” she told him.“I’m listening,” he answered.
18. So she said, “There’s an old saying: ‘Be sure to ask at Abel ⌊before doing anything⌋. That’s the way they settle matters.’
19. We are peaceful and faithful Israelites. Are you trying to destroy a mother city in Israel? Why should you swallow up what belongs to the Lord?”
20. Joab answered, “That’s unthinkable! I don’t wish to swallow ⌊it⌋ up or destroy ⌊it⌋.
21. That isn’t the case. A man from the mountains of Ephraim by the name of Sheba, son of Bichri, has rebelled against King David. Give him to me, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”“That’s fine,” the woman told Joab. “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.”
22. Then the woman went to all the people with her clever plan. They cut off Sheba’s head and threw it to Joab. He blew the ram’s horn, and everyone scattered and withdrew from the city and went home. Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
23. Now, Joab was put in charge of Israel’s whole army. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.