2 Samuel 20:10b–21 (ESV)

Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. And one of Joab’s young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in. And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.

Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the LORD?” Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”

It’s striking that Amasa’s followers don’t seem upset that Joab murdered their leader. And just like that, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. “Ding, dong the witch is dead.”

Unfortunately for Sheba, he gets the same love. Joab is building a siege mound against Abel when a wise woman from the city calls out to negotiate terms of peace.

She does an impressible job of making her case, and Joab responds with a reasonable offer. They have no gripe with anyone other than Sheba. Give him up and we’re good.

The woman replies with a shocking idea. “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”

Only the dark comedy of some Monty Python movies can do that scene justice.

Notice how this passage doesn’t display a battle of ideas. It’s just a popularity contest between celebrities. No one is asked what they follow, only who they follow.

Israel is on the brink of being split, and over what? Who has the greatest grievance? Who has the prettiest hair?

Our culture of celebrity is nothing new.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

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Scripture taken from the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.