From the Death of Saul to the Death of David - Flavius Josephus

she desired him to intermit the siege for a little while, for that he should have
the head of his enemy thrown out to him presently. So she went down to the
citizens, and said to them, "Will you be so wicked as to perish miserably,
with your children and wives, for the sake of a vile fellow, and one whom
nobody knows who he is? And will you have him for your king instead of
David, who hath been so great a benefactor to you, and oppose your city
alone to such a mighty and strong army?" So she prevailed with them, and
they cut off the head of Sheba, and threw it into Joab's army. When this was
done, the king's general sounded a retreat, and raised the siege. And when he
was come to Jerusalem, he was again appointed to be general of all the
people. The king also constituted Benaiah captain of the guards, and of the
six hundred men. He also set Adoram over the tribute, and Sabathes and
Achilaus over the records. He made Sheva the scribe, and appointed Zadok
and Abiathar the high priests.
Footnotes:
1. By David's disposal of half Mephibosheth's estate to Ziba, one would
imagine that he was a good deal dissatisfied, and doubtful whether
Mephibosheth's story were entirely true or not; nor does David now
invite him to diet with him, as he did before, but only forgives him, if he
had been at all guilty. Nor is this odd way of mourning that
Mephibosheth made use of here, and 2 Samuel 19:24, wholly free from
suspicion by hypocrisy. If Ziba neglected or refused to bring
Mephibosheh an ass of his own, on which he might ride to David, it is
half to suppose that so great a man as he was should not be able to
procure some other beast for the same purpose.
2. I clearly prefer Josephus's reading here, when it supposes eleven tribes,
including Benjamin, to be on the one side, and the tribe of Judah alone
on the other, since Benjamin, in general, had been still father of the
house of Saul, and less firm to David hitherto, than any of the rest, and
so cannot be supposed to be joined with Judah at this time, to make it
65