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.

2 SAMUEL 20:14KJV
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2 Samuel 20:14 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 20:14 mean?

2 Samuel 20:14 describes how Sheba, the rebel leader, traveled through all the tribes of Israel and arrived at Abel and Bethmaachah, where the Berites also joined him. The verse shows that people from these places gathered together and followed Sheba in his rebellion.

This verse is part of the story where Sheba, after rebelling against King David, seeks support across Israel. The passage notes his journey northward to Abel and Bethmaachah, towns in the far north, and mentions the Berites, a group who joined him. The verse highlights the spread of Sheba’s influence and the gathering of his followers as he tries to strengthen his position against David.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 20:14

  • "Went" (עָבַר, avar) is used here to show Sheba’s movement through the tribes, emphasizing that he was actively passing from place to place, not just traveling in a straight line.
  • "Together" (קָהַל, qahal) is a word often used for assembling or gathering a group, which in this context means people were uniting behind Sheba, not just physically present but joining his cause.

Why 2 Samuel 20:14 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Sheba’s rebellion was not limited to one area but spread across multiple tribes and regions, showing the seriousness of the threat to David’s rule.
  • The mention of specific places and groups, like Abel, Bethmaachah, and the Berites, helps the reader see the geographical and social reach of Sheba’s influence.
  • Understanding who gathered and where they gathered gives context to the following verses, where David’s forces pursue Sheba and the story reaches its climax.

Where else these words appear

“Bethmaachah” Hebrew H1038 · used in 2 verses

  • 2 Samuel 20:15 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.

“Abel” Hebrew H59 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Samuel 6:18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
  • 2 Samuel 20:15 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.
  • 2 Samuel 20:18 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.

“together” Hebrew H6950 · used in 39 verses

  • Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
  • Numbers 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
  • 2 Chronicles 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.