6. David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bicri is more dangerous to us than Absalom was. Take my men and chase him. Hurry before he finds strong, walled cities. If he gets there, he will escape from us.”
7. So Joab’s men, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, who were the king’s bodyguards, and all the soldiers went with Abishai. They went out from Jerusalem to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
8. When Joab and the army came to the great rock at Gibeon, Amasa came out to meet them. Joab was wearing his uniform. At his waist he wore a belt. It held his sword in its case. As Joab stepped forward, his sword fell out of its case.
9. Joab asked Amasa, “Brother, is everything all right with you?” Then with his right hand he took Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
10. Amasa did not guard against the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So Joab pushed the sword into Amasa’s stomach. This caused Amasa’s insides to spill on the ground. Joab did not have to stab Amasa again. He was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
11. One of Joab’s young men stood by Amasa’s body. The young man said, “Everyone who is for Joab and David should follow Joab!”
12. Amasa lay in the middle of the road, covered with his own blood. The young man saw that everyone was stopping to look at the body. So he dragged Amasa’s body from the road and laid it in a field. Then he put a cloth over it.
13. After Amasa’s body was taken off the road, all the men followed Joab. They went with him to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
14. Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah. All the Berites also came together and followed him.
15. So Joab and his men came to Abel Beth Maacah and surrounded it. They piled dirt up against the city wall so they could attack it. And they began digging under the city walls to make them fall down.
16. But a wise woman shouted out from the city. She said, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here. I want to talk to him!”
17. So Joab came near her. She asked him, “Are you Joab?”He answered, “Yes, I am.”Then she said, “Listen to what I say!”Joab said, “I’m listening.”
18. Then the woman said, “In the past people would say, ‘Ask for advice at Abel.’ Then the problem would be solved.