20:9. And Joab said to Amasa: God save thee, my brother. And he took
Amasa by the chin with his right hand to kiss him.

20:10. But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and
he struck him in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and
gave him not a second wound, and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his
brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.

20:11. In the mean time some men of Joab's company stopping at the dead
body of Amasa, said: Behold he that would have been in Joab's stead the
companion of David.

20:12. And Amasa imbrued with blood, lay in the midst of the way. A
certain man saw this that all the people stood still to look upon him,
so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered him
with a garment, that they who passed might, not stop on his account.

20:13. And when he was removed out of the way, all the people went on
following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

20:14. Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and
Bethmaacha: and all the chosen men were gathered together unto him.

Abela and Bethmaacha... Cities of the tribe of Nephtali.

20:15. And they came, and besieged him in Abela, and in Bethmaacha, and
they cast up works round the city, and the city was besieged: and all
the people that were with Joab, laboured to throw down the walls.

20:16. And a wise woman cried out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to
Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.

20:17. And when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab?
And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy
handmaid. He answered: I do hear.

20:18. And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They
that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.

20:19. Am not I she that answer truth in Israel, and thou seekest to
destroy the city, and to overthrow a mother in Israel? Why wilt thou
throw down the inheritance of the Lord?

20:20. And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I
do not throw down, nor destroy.

20:21. The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of
Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against king David: deliver him
only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab:
Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.

20:22. So she went to all the people, and spoke to them wisely: and they
cut off the head of Seba