generals of armies, that they might cut off the enemies of the Hebrews,
and introduce a universal peace among them; but thou art endeavoring to
overthrow and depopulate a metropolis of the Israelites, which hath been
guilty of no offense." But he replied, "God continue to be merciful
unto me: I am disposed to avoid killing any one of the people, much
less would I destroy such a city as this; and if they will deliver me
up Sheba, the son of Bichri, who hath rebelled against the king, I will
leave off the siege, and withdraw the army from the place." Now as soon
as the woman heard what Joab said, she desired him to intermit the siege
for a little while, for that he should have the head of his enemy thrown
out to him presently. So she went down to the citizens, and said to
them, "Will you be so wicked as to perish miserably, with your children
and wives, for the sake of a vile fellow, and one whom nobody knows who
he is? And will you have him for your king instead of David, who hath
been so great a benefactor to you, and oppose your city alone to such
a mighty and strong army?" So she prevailed with them, and they cut off
the head of Sheba, and threw it into Joab's army. When this was done,
the king's general sounded a retreat, and raised the siege. And when he
was come to Jerusalem, he was again appointed to be general of all the
people. The king also constituted Benaiah captain of the guards, and of
the six hundred men. He also set Adoram over the tribute, and Sabathes
and Achilaus over the records. He made Sheva the scribe, and appointed
Zadok and Abiathar the high priests.

CHAPTER 12. How The Hebrews Were Delivered From A Famine When The
Gibeonites Had Caused Punishment To Be Inflicted For Those Of Them That
Had Been Slain: As Also, What Great Actions Were Performed Against The
Philistines By David, And The Men Of Valor About Him.

1. After this, when the country was greatly afflicted with a famine,
David besought God to have mercy on the people, and to discover to
him what was the cause of it, and how a remedy might be found for that
distemper. And when the prophets answered, that God would have the
Gibeonites avenged whom Saul the king was so wicked as to betray to
slaughter, and had not observed the oath which Joshua the general and
the senate had sworn to them: If, therefore, said God, the king would
permit such vengeance to be taken for those that were slain as the
Gibeonites should desire, he promised th