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2 Samuel 14
New American Standard Bible 1995

The Woman of Tekoa

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that (A)the king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to (B)Tekoa and [a]brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not (C)anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; 3 then go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put (D)the words in her mouth.

4 Now when the woman of Tekoa [b]spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and (E)prostrated herself and said, “(F)Help, O king.” 5 The king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she [c]answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. 6 Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no [d]one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now behold, (G)the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, (H)and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to [e]leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, (I)the iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but (J)the king and his throne are guiltless.” 10 So the king said, “Whoever speaks 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, (K)so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “(L)As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13 The woman said, “(M)Why then have you planned 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 back (N)his banished one. 14 For (O)we will surely die and are (P)like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but plans [f]ways so that (Q)the banished one will not be cast out from him. 15 Now [g]the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your maidservant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the [h]request of his maidservant. 16 For the king will hear [i]and deliver his maidservant from the [j]hand of the man who would destroy [k]both me and my son from (R)the inheritance of God.’ 17 Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be [l]comforting, for as (S)the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” 19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was (T)your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant; 20 in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, (U)like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”

Absalom Is Recalled

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, (V)I will surely do this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the [m]request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to (W)Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However the king said, “Let him turn to (X)his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; (Y)from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. 26 When he (Z)cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight. 27 (AA)To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was (AB)Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, (AC)and did not see the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he would not come. 30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, (AD)Joab’s [n]field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the [o]field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my [p]field on fire?” 32 Absalom [q]answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for 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 still to be there.”’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face, (AE)and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” 33 So when Joab came to the king and told him, he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his face to the ground before the king, and (AF)the king kissed Absalom.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:2 Lit took
  2. 2 Samuel 14:4 Many mss and ancient versions read came
  3. 2 Samuel 14:5 Lit said
  4. 2 Samuel 14:6 Lit deliverer between
  5. 2 Samuel 14:7 Lit set
  6. 2 Samuel 14:14 Lit devices
  7. 2 Samuel 14:15 Lit that
  8. 2 Samuel 14:15 Lit word
  9. 2 Samuel 14:16 Lit to
  10. 2 Samuel 14:16 Lit palm
  11. 2 Samuel 14:16 Lit together
  12. 2 Samuel 14:17 Lit for rest
  13. 2 Samuel 14:22 Lit word
  14. 2 Samuel 14:30 Lit portion
  15. 2 Samuel 14:30 Lit portion
  16. 2 Samuel 14:31 Lit portion
  17. 2 Samuel 14:32 Lit said to
Listen to 2 Samuel 14
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2 Samuel 14
New American Standard Bible

The Woman of Tekoa

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that (A)the king’s heart was drawn toward Absalom. 2 So Joab sent a messenger to (B)Tekoa and [a]brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not (C)anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days. 3 Then go to the king and speak to him in this way.” So Joab put (D)the words in her mouth.

4 Now when the woman of Tekoa [b]spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and (E)prostrated herself, and said, “(F)Help, O king!” 5 And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she [c]answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. 6 And your servant had two sons, but the two of them fought in the field, and there was no [d]one to save [e]them from each other, so one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now behold, (G)the entire family has risen against your servant, and they have said, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, (H)and eliminate the heir as well.’ So they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to [f]leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your home, and I will issue orders concerning you.” 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, the king, (I)the guilt is on me and my father’s house, but (J)the king and his throne are guiltless.” 10 So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.” 11 Then she said, “May the king please remember the Lord your God, (K)so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “(L)As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13 The woman said, “(M)Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back (N)his banished one. 14 For (O)we will surely die and are (P)like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. Yet God does not take away life, but makes plans so that (Q)the banished one will not be cast out from Him. 15 Now then, [g]the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the [h]request of his slave. 16 For the king will listen, to save his slave from the [i]hand of the man who would eliminate [j]both me and my son from (R)the inheritance of God.’ 17 Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be [k]comforting, for as (S)the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” 19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was (T)your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, (U)like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth.”

Absalom Returns

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, (V)I [l]will certainly do this thing; go then, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself, and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has performed the [m]request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to (W)Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However, the king said, “He shall return to (X)his own house, but he shall not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; (Y)from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no impairment in him. 26 And when he (Z)cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at [n]two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. 27 And (AA)to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was (AB)Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, (AC)yet he did not see the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent word again a second time, but he would not come. 30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, (AD)Joab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the plot on fire. 31 Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my plot on fire?” 32 Absalom [o]answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, (AE)and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.” 33 So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself [p]with his face to the ground before the king; and (AF)the king kissed Absalom.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:2 Lit took
  2. 2 Samuel 14:4 Many mss and ancient versions came
  3. 2 Samuel 14:5 Lit said
  4. 2 Samuel 14:6 Lit deliverer between
  5. 2 Samuel 14:6 Lit between them
  6. 2 Samuel 14:7 Lit establish for
  7. 2 Samuel 14:15 Lit that I
  8. 2 Samuel 14:15 Lit word
  9. 2 Samuel 14:16 Lit palm
  10. 2 Samuel 14:16 Lit together
  11. 2 Samuel 14:17 Lit for rest
  12. 2 Samuel 14:21 Lit have done
  13. 2 Samuel 14:22 Lit word
  14. 2 Samuel 14:26 About 4 lb. or 1.8 kg
  15. 2 Samuel 14:32 Lit said to
  16. 2 Samuel 14:33 Lit on his
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2 Samuel 14
American Standard Version

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead: 3 and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king. 5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead. 6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him. 7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.

8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee. 9 And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and the king and his throne be guiltless. 10 And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12 Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one. 14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him. 15 Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto 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 that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God. 17 Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be [a]comfortable; for as [b]an angel of God, so is my lord the king [c]to discern good and bad: and Jehovah thy God be with thee.

18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak. 19 And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid; 20 to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, [d]I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back. 22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king; and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of [e]his servant. 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel there was none 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 blemish in him. 26 And 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. 27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come. 30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? 32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be iniquity in me, 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:17 Hebrew for rest.
  2. 2 Samuel 14:17 Or, the
  3. 2 Samuel 14:17 Hebrew to hear.
  4. 2 Samuel 14:21 Another reading is, thou hast done.
  5. 2 Samuel 14:22 Another reading is, thy.
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New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
American Standard Version (ASV)

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