2 Samuel 14:21-33

Easy-to-Read Version

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

²¹ The king said to Joab, “Look, I will do what I promised. Now please bring back the young man Absalom.”

²² Joab bowed with his face on the ground. He blessed King David, and said, “Today I know that you are pleased with me. I know because you have done what I asked.”

²³ Then Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ²⁴ But King David said, “Absalom must go back to his own house. He cannot come to see me.” So Absalom went back to his own house, but he could not go to see the king.

²⁵ People really bragged about how good-looking Absalom was. No man in Israel was as handsome as Absalom. Every part of his body was perfect—from his head to his feet. ²⁶ At the end of every year, Absalom cut the hair from his head and weighed it. The hair weighed about five pounds.^{[a] 27} Absalom had three sons and one daughter. Her name was Tamar, and she was a beautiful woman.

Absalom Forces Joab to Come See Him

²⁸ Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two full years without being allowed to visit King David. ²⁹ Absalom sent a message to Joab, asking for permission to see the king, but Joab refused to come see him. So Absalom sent a second message to Joab. Again, Joab refused to come see him.

³⁰ Then Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to my field. He has barley growing in that field. Go burn the barley.”

So Absalom’s servants went and started a fire in Joab’s field. ³¹ Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants burn my field?”

³² Absalom said to Joab, “I sent a message to you. I asked you to come here. I wanted to send you to the king to ask him why he asked me to come home from Geshur. I cannot see him, so it would have been better for me to stay in Geshur. Now let me see the king. If I have sinned, he can kill me!”

Absalom Visits King David

³³ Then Joab came to the king and told him what Absalom said. The king called for Absalom. Absalom came to the king and bowed low on the ground before the king. The king kissed him.