2 Samuel 20 · Verse 1

2 Samuel 20:1

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2 Samuel 20:1, King James Version

2 Samuel 20:1 in other translations

BSBNow a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
WEBThere happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
ASVAnd there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
YLTAnd there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name is Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, ‘We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.'
DARBYAnd there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite; and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel.
BBENow by chance there was present a good-for-nothing person named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he, sounding the horn, said, We have no part in David, or any interest in the son of Jesse: let every man go to his tent, O Israel.
WebsterAnd there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

What does 2 Samuel 20:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2Sa 20:1-9. Sheba Makes a Party in Israel. 1. Sheba ... a Benjamite--Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence, before he could have raised so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, where the adherents of Saul's dynasty were still numerous; and perceiving the strong disgust of the other tribes with the part assumed by Judah in the restoration, his ill-designing heart resolved to turn it to the overthrow of David's authority in Israel. every man to his tents--This proverbial expression may have had its foundation in the fact, that many of the Israelite peasantry adhered to the custom of the patriarchs who tilled land, and yet lived in tents, as Syrian peasants often do still. This was the usual watchword of national insurrection, and from the actual temper of the people, it was followed by effects beyond what he probably anticipated.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Sheba raises an insurrection, and gains a party in Israel, 2Sam 20:1, 2Sam 20:2. David shuts up the ten concubines who were defiled by Absalom, 2Sam 20:3. Amasa is sent to assemble the men of Judah, 2Sam 20:4, 2Sam 20:5. And in the mean time Abishai is sent to pursue Sheba, 2Sam 20:6, 2Sam 20:7. Joab treacherously murders Amasa, 2Sam 20:8-12. Joab and the army continue the pursuit of Sheba, 2Sam 20:13, 2Sam 20:14. He is besieged in Abel; and, by the counsels of a wise woman, the people of Abel cut off his head, and throw it over the wall to Joab; who blows the trumpet of peace, and he and his men return to Jerusalem, 2Sam 20:15-22. Account of David's civil and military officers, 2Sam 20:23-26. Verse 1 Sheba, the son of Bichri - As this man was a Benjamite, he probably belonged to the family of Saul; and he seems to have had considerable influence in Israel to raise such an insurrection: but we know nothing farther of him than what is related in this place. We have no part in David - We of Israel, we of the ten tribes, are under no obligation to the house of David. Leave him, and let every man fall into the ranks under his own leader.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 20:1-3
One trial arises after another for our good, till we reach the place where sin and sorrow are for ever done away. Angry disputers misunderstand or misconstrue one another's words; proud men will have every thing their own way, or wholly refuse their assistance. The favour of the many is not to be depended upon; and what have others to expect, when Hosanna to the Son of David was soon changed to Crucify him, crucify him?

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 20:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְשָׁ֨םve.Shamand thereH8033
נִקְרָ֜אnik.Ra'he was metH7122
אִ֣ישׁ'isha man ofH376
בְּלִיַּ֗עַלbe.li.Ya.'alworthlessnessH1100
וּשְׁמ֛וֹu.she.Moand name hisH8034
שֶׁ֥בַעShe.va'[was] ShebaH7652
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
בִּכְרִ֖יbikh.RiBicriH1075
אִ֣ישׁ'isha manH376
יְמִינִ֑יye.mi.Nia JaminiteH3228
וַיִּתְקַ֣עvai.yit.Ka'and he gave a blastH8628
בַּשֹּׁפָ֗רba.sho.Faron the trumpetH7782
וַ֠יֹּאמֶרVai.yo.merand he saidH559
אֵֽין\־'ein-notH369
לָ֨נוּLa.nu[belongs] to <the> us
חֵ֜לֶקChe.leka portionH2506
בְּדָוִ֗דbe.da.Vidin DavidH1732
וְלֹ֤אve.Lo'and notH3808
נַֽחֲלָה\־na.cha.lah-an inheritanceH5159
לָ֙נוּ֙la.nu[belongs] to <the> us
בְּבֶן\־be.ven-in [the] son ofH1121
יִשַׁ֔יyi.ShaiJesseH3448
אִ֥ישׁ'isheveryoneH376
לְאֹהָלָ֖יוle.'o.ha.Lavto tents hisH168
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃Yis.ra.'ElO IsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 20:1

  • 1 Kings 12:16

    So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

  • 2 Chronicles 10:16

    And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

  • Deuteronomy 13:13

    Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

  • Psalms 17:13

    Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

  • Proverbs 24:21-22

    My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

  • Proverbs 26:21

    As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

  • Judges 3:27

    And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

  • 2 Samuel 19:41-43

    And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

  • Judges 19:22

    Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

  • 1 Samuel 2:12

    Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 22:7-8

    Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

  • Habakkuk 1:12-13

    Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 By occasion of the quarrel, Sheba makes a party in Israel.
3 David's ten concubines are put in confinement for life.
4 Amasa, made captain over Judah, is slain by Joab.
14 Joab pursues Sheba unto Abel.
16 A wise woman saves the city by Sheba's head.
23 David's officers.

And there.
19:41-43; Ps 34:19
a man.
23:6; De 13:13; Jud 19:22; 1Sa 2:12; 30:22; Ps 17:13; Pr 26:21
Hab 1:12,13
he blew.
15:10; Jud 3:27; Pr 24:21,22; 25:8
We have.
19:43; 1Ki 12:16; 2Ch 10:6; Lu 19:14,27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 20:1

    And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

  • 2 Samuel 20:2

    So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

Read all of 2 Samuel 20

2 Samuel 20:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ACAECIÓ estar allí un hombre perverso que se llamaba Seba, hijo de Bichri, hombre de Benjamín, el cual tocó la corneta, y dijo: No tenemos nosotros parte en David, ni heredad en el hijo de Isaí: Israel, ¡cada uno á sus estancias!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il se rencontra là un homme de Bélial, son nom était Shéba, fils de Bicri, Benjaminite; et il sonna de la trompette, et dit: Nous n’avons point de part en David, ni d’héritage dans le fils d’Isaï. Chacun à sa tente, Israël!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und daselbst war zufällig ein Mann Belials, sein Name war Scheba, der Sohn Bikris, ein Benjaminiter; und er stieß in die Posaune und sprach: Wir haben kein Teil an David und kein Erbteil an dem Sohne Isais! Ein jeder zu seinen Zelten, Israel!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Accidit quoque ut ibi esset vir Belial, nomine Seba, filius Bochri, vir Jemineus: et cecinit buccina, et ait: Non est nobis pars in David, neque hæreditas in filio Isai: revertere in tabernacula tua, Israël.