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Monica Jyotsna Melanchthon
Professor, Department of Old Testament
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India
 and member of the Senate of Serampore College, Serampore, India

Saturday, August 16 - Bible Study #4

Text: 2 Samuel 20:14-22

Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-ma’acah; and all the Bichrites assembled, and followed him inside. Joab's forces came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma’acah; they threw up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart. Joab's forces were battering the wall to break it down. Then a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, 'Come here, I want to speak to you.'" 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." He answered, "I am listening." Then she said, "They used to say in the old days, 'Let them inquire at Abel'; and so they would settle 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 the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman said to Joab, "His head shall be thrown over the wall to you." Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, and all went to their homes, while Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Bible Study

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I stand before you, honored by the task assigned to me and humbled at the same time for trusting me with it. I bring you greetings from the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India and its constituent member churches. I would at the very outset like to thank Bishop Hanson for giving me this privilege to be here with you and listen to you as you share your experiences of the joys, the pain and the dilemmas of being Church, and also to be included in this process of discernment as we seek to be a community called Church in a world that is urgently calling for wise, faithful and courageous leaders to bring healing and wholeness.

This story, which most male scholars write off as “charming” or “delightful” is a narrative that has come under close scrutiny by female scholarship. It is the story of a woman’s intervention and ingenuity during a national crisis. While there are many such women in the world today playing crucial roles to foster healing in the world, their stories are rarely told or applauded, and I would like to bring the story of this unnamed leader to your attention this morning, in memory of the many who continue to remain unnamed and unsung.

This narrative is read within the context of the distrust between the tribes of Northern Israel and those of Southern Judah, a mistrust that eventually resulted in the withdrawal of the northern tribes in 922 BCE. Although David had been promised the throne of all Israel by Yahweh, and had received it, the crown was a fragile one, tenuously held, for political establishments that try to impose union between disparate and uncongenial political communities, separatist movements are endlessly vexing. The government almost always is in a very helpless position when there is such resistance. Absalom, the son of David’s predecessor, Saul, was leading such a resistance against David’s kingship, and an initial attempt at reconciliation is achieved between the two through the intervention of the wise woman of Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14, but which later turned sour when Absalom continued to revolt and was killed for that in chapter 18.

There are three characters in this narrative:

Sheba:

The crushing of Absalom’s insurrection was succeeded by that of Sheba the Benjaminite who, as related in Chapter 20, verse 1, and following, called the men of Israel to their tents, claiming “no portion in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse.” Pursued by Joab, Sheba flees to the far north of Israel, into the city of Abel of Beth-ma’acah. The narrative does not tell us that there was an organized rebellion because of Sheba’s cry and the withdrawal of the northern forces. Instead, we are given the impression that Sheba “passed through all the tribes of Israel” more or less alone, finding support only among the Bichrites, members of his own clan. All Israel seems to have gone home. But Sheba’s expression of dissent is noteworthy because it exposes a weakness in the political structures and the fragility of union between the tribes. David was afraid of what Sheba might do. In the eyes of the monarchy Sheba is the separatist; his cry was an act of treason. He had to be squelched and punished for defying the establishment.

Joab:

In the earlier part of the chapter, we also learn that King David has dispatched a certain Abishai to pursue Sheba and eliminate him. But events follow that put Joab, the commander of David’s army back in control. He pursues Sheba through the whole territory of Israel. Sheba has established himself along with some followers far to the north, in Abel of Beth-ma’acah. Things never get to the point of battle, but the mound which the besiegers throw up against the city walls shows the citizens of Abel that Joab was serious.

The Wise Woman:

Joab is stopped in the midst of his efforts by the voice of a woman – a wise woman – calling to him from the city. By the use of a proverb not fully recoverable from the present text, she reminds him of Abel’s reputation of counsel, peace and faithfulness, and then asks rhetorically whether he would “destroy a city which is a mother in Israel,” if he would “swallow up the heritage of Yahweh.” Joab hastily demurs and tells her his mission. The woman promises him Sheba’s head. She then goes “to all the people in her wisdom,” and they comply with Sheba’s execution. She counsels the sacrifice of one man in the interests of the society, and the result is the prevention of a rebellion. For this she is referred to as being “wise,” and she is the focus of our study this morning.

As already mentioned, there are many unsung heroes in our histories, both men and women, but definitely more women who have played key and dynamic roles at crucial moments. In most cultures, women have been kept from making history, but men have often sought women's approval and tolerated a woman's scorn. The wise woman of Abel, like the wise woman of Tekoa seems to represent at least one significant political role available to women in the years preceding the establishment of the kingship in Israel, a role that continued to exist into the monarchic era.!

It is not sure what the narrator of this story meant when he described the female character as "wise." The fact that she is identified by no more than this adjective and the name of her town suggests that the audience who heard this account must have had some prior image of this nameless figure who stood so boldly before a general that when the words “wise woman” were used, features of a culturally stereotyped character arose in the hearers' minds, thus obviating the need for further description. This also proves that wisdom was not a phenomenon of the court and its habitues alone, since women had little contact with that environment. But the "wise woman" looks like a signifier of status or official position. Such women must have had quite a reputation, for they knew how to employ diplomatic tricks skillfully.

The wise woman of Abel is given no name. We know what she did and where she did it but we know nothing else of her identity other than that she was 'wise'. The Midrash identifies her as a woman involved in the political world, with Serah, the granddaughter of Jacob and the daughter of Asher as mentioned in Numbers 26:46. In any case, she is a wise woman we are told.

The term “wise” is most often employed to describe people wise in administration of social, political or economic affairs, such as Joseph, or a counselor or advisor at the royal court, or someone who is shrewd, prudent or clever. It is also used to refer to someone with skill in technical work. Within the corpus of Wisdom literature, the term is used to refer to a class of professionals, sages and teachers of religion and ethics, those who deal with theoretical and practical knowledge.

In most cases, the persons described as “wise” or as possessing the quality of wisdom in the biblical text are males. What is it that makes this woman “wise”? Did she belong to a social institution of female counselors? Hard to say. But the woman, however, exhibits two traits often associated with the concept “wise.” She speaks first of all with the voice of authority – the authority that comes from wisdom is not simply a matter of knowing what to say but also of knowing when and how to say it. Execution is not separable from insight for the wise person. Even a fool can be mistaken as wise, but only if he keeps his mouth shut (Prov 17: 28). It would be hard to imagine a person with the courage and appearance to execute such an audacious act if she lacked the practical experience of the exercise of authority. The wise woman of Abel, her authority is without question, both in her commanding stance before Joab and in her obvious influence among her people. We can, in fact, probably interpret her “going to all the people in her wisdom” as an act of counsel similar to that which a court advisor may give a king. Her advice is apparently taken, moreover, with the same seriousness that a respected royal advisor expected his to be heard. The people act with unquestioning eagerness.

Secondly, the woman wants to save the city, so she negotiates with Joab. She reminds him that Abel is an old and venerated city; Indeed, this old city is a “mother of Israel,” a place to which people have looked for guidance, well-being and life. Would Joab destroy such a “mother in Israel”? The compelling words of the wise woman provide a poignant contrast to the ruthless intent of Joab. The woman speaks powerful words out of the tradition, about the “heritage of the Lord” which cannot be abused, even by royal power, as Joab proposes to do. Indeed, the contrast between the city (whose voice is the woman) and David (whose agent is Joab) is striking. This challenge to Joab is a voice that is “peaceable” and “faithful” in Israel – a mothering voice that speaks for his mothering city. Joab and the might of the monarchy have come with arms to destroy. The peaceable woman and the peaceable city stand against the warring, destructive intention of the king. This reference to the situation in Israel immediately bears fruit. Joab obviously doesn't want to accumulate new causes for dispute. An agreement is thus quickly achieved and Sheba has to pay the price of it with his head.

The woman is a woman of courage, and this is beyond doubt. Who but a courageous individual could address the General of David's army and she does so directly. She calls out to him directly and engages in a direct discourse after having made certain that she is addressing the right person. Secondly, she chooses the position from upon which to address Joab. From the city, most probably from the top of the walls, exposing herself to danger and harm, she claims that space that lends to her credence. Her independence is striking.

The woman displays faith. What kind of a faith is this? It is a faith that honored the fragility of life and at the same time guarded against sentimentality. No doubt the woman had seen enough in her years to keep the pursuit of any criminal. But she is still convinced that God wants life rather than vengeance, that God is eager to reward those who act mercifully and preserve life because that is God's own way. These convictions enable the woman to play her part well.

Where did – or rather what are the sources of this woman's wisdom, faith and courage? Her skills of persuasive counsel and diplomacy were sharpened in her role as mother, I think. She must have had many opportunities to negotiate and bring peace among her children in their games of war and destruction. Having been marginalized on account of her gender, she had nothing more to lose, and hence spoke freely. She became the champion of mercy and a debunker of the harshness of all that treats life cheaply and is willing to toss it away to satisfy hurt feelings and hurt egos. She stands outside the seduction of politics and militarism and can imagine another way.

Her intercession gained a reprieve for Abel although she failed at saving the life of Sheba. This leaves me with a queasy feeling. I cannot believe that it was an easy task for her to offer the head of Sheba. For someone who respected life it must have been hard to make such a decision. According to the Midrash, she engages the people of Abel and Joab in a process of negotiation as a mediator, which begins with Joab demanding 1,000 heads, then 500, then 100, then 10, and then one – the head of Sheba. She scolds, she teaches and she warns using the Torah to back her in her negotiations. The Masoretic text doesn't acknowledge this. In any case, she fails to save the life of Sheba. The survival of her children was at stake, and at times such as this the customs, which normally are presumed and go unexamined, must be scrutinized under the light of faith. Drastic measures had to be taken to save the lives of her children and her people.

A woman speaks the word that breaks the threat of the king. She prevails even against arms and anger. The city is rescued, the heritage of Yahweh is saved. The wisdom of the woman and the well-being of the city stand together. Wise words override ruthless policy. At the end, not only the woman and the city are saved; but something of David's dignity and self-respect are also rescued from Joab's mad, obedient intent. The traitor is dead; the rebellion is ended; Joab returns to the king in Jerusalem, and Joab has once more done for David what is necessary to save the throne.

The raw political strength that dominates this story of David's return to power presents the wise woman as an important contrast. She stands as an alternative to the relentlessness of David and the ruthlessness of Joab. In the midst of Jersualem's political ideology, the wise woman can remember another way. She can still imagine that careful speech, peaceable treasuring, and secure trust offer another way in public life. Anxious about the survival of her people, she uses a form of persuasion in an attempt to rescue by appealing to the city's reputation for wisdom. She realizes that the survival of the city depends upon the expulsion of the recalcitrant member whose sin has polluted the entire community. The narrator would like us to believe that anyone who opposed the leadership of David deserved to die. She has to give up one life to enable the continuance of the life of the community. The woman's logic is that all power is accountable to God, including that of David and Saddam, and even George Bush. Why should all suffer? She questions the mindlessness of violence and the arrogance of power, and upholds justice for the innocent, though proved violent in the case of Sheba. And that is the disturbing aspect of this narrative.

As we go after the Saddams and the Bin Ladens, the Prabhakarans, the Charles Taylors of this world, we should keep the lessons that this text teaches us in mind. It is instructive for us to ponder what intercessions like that of this woman have accomplished over the ages. Her wisdom, courage and faith exemplify a way for antagonists to put aside their egos, drop their demands for blood lust and be reconciled. Loyalty to a particular form of government can lead to the worst kind of partisan politics, but it cannot be denied that supporters of a particular form of government believe that it is the best form. The tension between the good of the people and particular form of government can be the context within which a narrative such as this can act as the word of God.

Lessons learned:

In closing, I would like to mention the following points, or questions, for your continued reflection:

The woman acts as a conscience-keeper of the society and questions the sanity of the political establishment. The church needs to be encouraged and to be concerned about its public presence and not about its political patronage. The passage raises the question of Church and State relations. What kind of relationship should it be?

The narrative also proves that even if the political establishment claims to be legitimate, it can sometimes be morally wrong. Why should the innocent suffer?

There are some who consider terrorists as those struggling for justice and personhood. The Naxalites in India, the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and the Palestinians come to mind. Is all criticism of the Government treason? Is all resistance to the establishment an evil act?

Humanitarian intervention and just wars need to be reconsidered on the grounds of what these can do for the people and to the cause of justice.

Careful speech (wisdom) peaceable treasuring (faith) and risk (courage) offer another way in public life and responsible leadership.