Jumping To Conclusions

II Samuel 20:13b-26

“all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.  And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.  And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.” (II Samuel 20:13b-15)

 Taking advantage of the resentment over not being consulted about bringing David back as king, Sheba had found it easy to stir up a rebellion and gather a large following  campaigning throughout the various tribes, and assembling them at Abel.  Joab and the army caught up with him at Abel of Bethmaacah.  When Sheba took refuge in the city, they placed the city under seige, casting embankments all around it and blockading any who might go in or out.  They then started to tear down the walls to break in.

“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.  And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid.

 And he answered, I do hear.  Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.  I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?” (II Samuel 20:16-19)

The men of the city were concerned about defending the city and resentful about being attacked.   Their pride demanded the fight to defend themselves.  A wise woman overlooked the pride and asked why Joab and the army were attacking one of the cities in Israel, trying to destroy it.  Why should they be killed when they didn’t even know what it was about?

When God created woman, he fitted her especially to complement and complete the man, providing a different perspective and approach to problems.  Joab was completely focused on killing Sheba, no matter who he had to kill to do it, and the men of Abel were concentrating on defending their homes, at whatever cost.  The woman looked at it from the standpoint that no matter who won the battle, many people would be killed simply because Joab had decided to destroy them.

“And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.  The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. 

And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. 

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab.” (II Samuel 20:20-22)


Joab explained that there was no desire to destroy the city.  Sheba had committed treason and their only interest was in punishing him.  They had just assumed because he taken refuge in the city, that the people of the city supported his rebellion.  The woman promised that they would execute Sheba themselves and throw his head out to prove it.

When she explained what the attack was about to the men of the city, they had no qualms about keeping her promise, and executed him, throwing his head out to Joab.  It was a relief to know they were not going to have to fight to the death.

Unfortunately many conflicts explode out of control because everyone is focused so much on their own feelings and concerns they don’t take time to find out what the conflict is really about.   Both sides end up with a false idea of the other sides position and feelings boil out of control.  Frequently there is somebody like Sheba at the bottom stirring things up in hopes of getting his own way, accusing the other side of being unfair.

“And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.” (II Samuel 20:23)

Having attained his purpose of destroying the leader of the rebellion, Joab withdrew from the attack and returned to Jerusalem.

Had the wise woman not bothered to ask what it was all about,  but taken the same attitude as most of the people, Joab and the army would have destroyed the city and killed everyone in it believing they were intentionally helping Sheba.

In his teaching on resolving conflicts in Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus stressed that the first step must be to make sure both sides understand what is at issue.  “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.”

A failure to make sure what the issues are often results in even more injustice, and increases the problems.   It is important that we take the time to be sure what is really going on instead of simply taking action.

“Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder: And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.” (II Samuel 20:23-26)

We finish with a listing of those in positions of power during the last period of David’s reign.