And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
David said to Abishai, 'Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take your master's soldiers and chase after him before he reaches fortified cities where he can hide from us.'
David is urgently ordering his commander to pursue a rebel leader before he can reach safety and become an even bigger threat than his previous enemy.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Absalom's failed rebellion against King David, when the kingdom was still fragile and divided. Sheba, a Benjamite, had just led the northern tribes of Israel to abandon David and follow him instead. David recognized that if Sheba reached fortified cities, he could establish a stronghold and potentially split the kingdom permanently.
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