Sheba

Sheba, a Benjamite, led a rebellion against King David but was ultimately defeated, and his head was delivered to Joab.

Sheba, mentioned in 2Samuel 20, was a Benjamite who led a rebellion against King David. After the quelling of Absalom's rebellion and David's return to Jerusalem, Sheba took advantage of the lingering tensions between Israel and Judah. He rallied the men of Israel to abandon David, proclaiming, "We have no share in David, no part in Jesse's son!" (2Sa 20:1). David, recognizing the threat posed by Sheba's rebellion, ordered his men, led by Joab and Abishai, to pursue Sheba. Sheba fled to the city of Abel-beth-maacah, where he sought refuge. Joab besieged the city, but a wise woman intervened and negotiated with him. She convinced the people of the city to behead Sheba and throw his head over the wall to Joab, thus ending the rebellion. The incident with Sheba highlights the fragile unity between Israel and Judah during David's reign and the challenges he faced in maintaining control over the kingdom. It also demonstrates the importance of wise counsel and the role of negotiation in resolving conflicts.

Heb. id. A “son of Bichri,” of the family of Becher, the son of Benjamin, and thus of the stem from which Saul was descended (2 Sam. 20:1-22). When David was returning to Jerusalem after the defeat of Absalom, a strife arose between the ten tribes and the tribe of Judah, because the latter took the lead in bringing back the king. Sheba took advantage of this state of things, and raised the standard of revolt, proclaiming, “We have no part in David.” With his followers he proceeded northward. David seeing it necessary to check this revolt, ordered Abishai to take the gibborim, “mighty men,” and the body-guard and such troops as he could gather, and pursue Sheba. Joab joined the expedition, and having treacherously put Amasa to death, assumed the command of the army. Sheba took refuge in Abel-Bethmaachah, a fortified town some miles north of Lake Merom. While Joab was engaged in laying siege to this city, Sheba’s head was, at the instigation of a “wise woman” who had held a parley with him from the city walls, thrown over the wall to the besiegers, and thus the revolt came to an end.