1 Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said,
“We have no portion in David,
and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
every man to his tents, O Israel!”
2 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.
3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7 And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
Comment: Obviously Sheba was not worthless in his own sight! We are advised in the Bible not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. As this story goes Sheba had assessed himself wrongly! Nevertheless the men of Israel, who had complained against the tribe of Judah before, follow Sheba.
David arrives back in Jerusalem settles in and deals with the concubines who had obviously been ‘used’ by Absalom and his men.
When Amasa fails to do his job timewise, David orders his men to stop Sheba reaching a fortified city. With Abishai as leader, Joab and his men and the mercenaries set out to obey their King. Having read about Joab before I doubt that if the man Amasa, who had failed to do his duty, comes face to face with Joab that sparks won’t fly!
Prayer: Help me to neither stir up unnecessary trouble but to face the issues which are before me.
As I read it! 