2 Samuel 20:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’"

NIV: a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him."

NASB: Then a wise woman called out from the city, 'Listen, listen! Please tell Joab, 'Come here that I may speak with you.'

CSB: a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him."

NLT: But a wise woman in the town called out to Joab, 'Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you.'

KJV: Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

NKJV: Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ”

Second Samuel 20:14–22 explains another rebellion against David, which ends much more quickly than Absalom's coup (2 Samuel 18). Joab has killed Absalom and stopped his rebellion against David (2 Samuel 18:14). While David is trying to reconcile the broken nation, a Benjaminite, Sheba, starts a new, ill-fated rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1–2). Joab and the army chase him to a fortified city and threaten to break down its walls. A wise woman offers Sheba's head, instead, successfully bargaining to preserve the historic city. This is the last account of a rebellion in David's time, but the nation does split shortly after his grandson Rehoboam becomes king (2 Chronicles 10).

David's men strike down one last rebellion. Absalom is dead (2 Samuel 18), and David is trying to reunite the nation (2 Samuel 19). After bickering with Judah over who loves David more (2 Samuel 19:41–43), the ten northern tribes give up and follow a new rebel leader, Sheba. David sends his new general, Amasa, after Sheba. But along the way, Joab murders Amasa and resumes command of the army. Sheba hides in a city. The army of Judah tries to tear down the walls. A wise woman offers Sheba's head, instead. The tribes will not rebel against David again, but they will break from his grandson Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 10).

In 2 Samuel 20, David tries to hold everything together. During David's flight from his son's invasion of Jerusalem, a Benjaminite cursed him, claiming he stole Saul's throne (2 Samuel 15:1–14; 16:5–8). The rebellion is over, but the ten northern tribes quickly follow another Benjaminite. Sheba claims that David only cares about Judah and rallies people to follow him, instead. Joab takes care of Sheba, and the rebellion ends. Sadly, David's involuntary offenses against Benjamin aren't finished. He must give seven of Saul's sons and grandsons to the Gibeonites as recompense for something Saul did (2 Samuel 21:1–14). We're never told what, but the struggles between David and Benjamin seem to end.

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

Accessed 5/20/2026 12:39:54 PM