2 Samuel 14

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was towards Absalom.

Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart desired to see Absalom.

2 Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil; but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought to him. He said to her, “Please pretend you are a mourner and put on mourning clothes. Please do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

3 Go in to the king and speak like this to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

Then go to the king and speak to him about what I will describe.” So Joab told her the words she was to say to the king.

4 When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, and said, “Help, O king!”

When the woman from Tekoa spoke to the king, she lay facedown on the ground and said, “Help me, king.”

5 The king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

The king said to her, “What is wrong?” She answered, “The truth is that I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

6 Your servant had two sons; and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

I, your servant, had two sons, and they fought together in the field, and there was no one to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.

7 Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”

Now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, 'Give into our hand the man who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death, to pay for the life of his brother whom he killed.' So they would also destroy the heir. Thus they will put out the burning coal that I have left, and they will leave for my husband neither name nor descendant on the surface of the earth.”

8 The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”

So the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will command something to be done for you.”

9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”

The woman of Tekoa replied to the king, “My master, king, may the guilt be on me and on my father's family. The king and his throne are guiltless.”

10 The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you any more.”

The king replied, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.”

11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”

Then she said, “Please, may the king call to mind Yahweh your God, so that the avenger of blood will not destroy anyone further, so that they will not destroy my son.” The king replied, “As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”

Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a further word to my master the king.” He said, “Speak on.”

13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.

So the woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in saying this thing, the king is like someone who is guilty, because the king has not brought back home again his banished son.

14 For we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

For we all must die, and we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life; instead, he finds a way for those who were driven away to be restored.

15 Now therefore, seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’

Now then, seeing that I have come to speak this thing to my master the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. So your servant said to herself, 'I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.

16 For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

Perhaps the king will listen to me and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together, out of the inheritance God gave us.'

17 Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the LORD, your God, be with you.’”

Then your servant prayed, 'Yahweh, please let the word of my master the king give me relief, for as an angel of God, so is my master the king in telling good from evil.' May Yahweh your God be with you.”

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”

Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me anything that I will ask you.” The woman replied, “Let my master the king now speak.”

19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant.

The king said, “Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As you live, my master the king, no one can escape to the right hand or to the left from anything that my master the king has spoken. It was your servant Joab who commanded me and told me to say these things that your servant has spoken.

20 Your servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.”

Your servant Joab has done this to change the course of what is happening. My master is wise, like the wisdom of an angel of God, and he knows everything that is happening in the land.”

21 The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”

So the king said to Joab, “Look now, I will do this thing. Go then, and bring the young man Absalom back.”

22 Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favour in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

So Joab lay facedown on the ground in honor and gratitude to the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your eyes, my master, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

So Joab arose, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

24 The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.

The king said, “He may return to his own house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king's face.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.

Now in all Israel there was no one praised for his handsomeness more than Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.

26 When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.

When he cut the hair of his head at the end of every year, because it was heavy on him, he weighed his hair; it would weigh about two hundred shekels, which is measured by the weight of the king's standard.

27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.

To Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

28 Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.

Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without seeing the king's face.

29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. Then he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

Then Absalom sent word for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. So Absalom sent word a second time, but Joab still did not come.

30 Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

So Absalom said to his servants, “See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

Then Joab arose and came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”

Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent word to you saying, 'Come here so I may send you to the king to say, “Why did I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there. Now therefore let me see the king's face, and if I am guilty, let him kill me.”'”

33 So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

So Joab went to the king and told him. When the king called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed low to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.