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.

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11 I wish that you would ^(A)bear with me in a little ^(B)foolishness; but ^[a]indeed you are bearing with me. ² For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^(C)betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might ^(D)present you as a pure virgin. ³ But I am afraid that, as the ^(E)serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if ^[b]one comes and preaches ^(F)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^(G)different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(H)different gospel which you have not accepted, you ^(I)bear this ^(J)beautifully. ⁵ For I consider myself ^(K)not in the least inferior to the ^[c]most eminent apostles. ⁶ But even if I am ^(L)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^(M)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^(N)made this evident to you in all things.

⁷ Or ^(O)did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^(P)gospel of God to you ^(Q)without charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by ^(R)taking wages from them to serve you; ⁹ and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^(S)not a burden to anyone; for when ^(T)the brethren came from ^(U)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^(V)being a burden to you, ^[d]and will continue to do so. ^10 (W)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(X)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^(Y)Achaia. ¹¹ Why? ^(Z)Because I do not love you? ^(AA)God knows I do!

¹² But what I am doing I will continue to do, ^(AB)so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be ^[e]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. ¹³ For such men are ^(AC)false apostles, ^(AD)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ No wonder, for even ^(AE)Satan disguises himself as an ^(AF)angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^(AG)whose end will be according to their deeds.

^16 (AH)Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying, I am not saying ^[f](AI)as the Lord would, but as ^(AJ)in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸ Since ^(AK)many boast ^(AL)according to the flesh, I will boast also. ¹⁹ For you, ^(AM)being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. ²⁰ For you tolerate it if anyone ^(AN)enslaves you, anyone ^(AO)devours you, anyone ^(AP)takes advantage of you, anyone ^(AQ)exalts himself, anyone ^(AR)hits you in the face. ²¹ To my ^(AS)shame I must say that we have been ^(AT)weak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else ^(AU)is bold—I ^(AV)speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself. ²² Are they ^(AW)Hebrews? ^(AX)So am I. Are they ^(AY)Israelites? ^(AZ)So am I. Are they ^[g](BA)descendants of Abraham? ^(BB)So am I. ²³ Are they ^(BC)servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in ^[h](BD)far more labors, in ^[i](BE)far more imprisonments, ^[j](BF)beaten times without number, often in ^(BG)danger of death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews ^(BH)thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(BI)beaten with rods, once I was ^(BJ)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. ²⁶ I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my ^(BK)countrymen, dangers from the ^(BL)Gentiles, dangers in the ^(BM)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among ^(BN)false brethren; ²⁷ I have been in ^(BO)labor and hardship, ^[k]through many sleepless nights, in ^(BP)hunger and thirst, often ^(BQ)without food, in cold and ^[l](BR)exposure. ²⁸ Apart from such ^[m]external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for ^(BS)all the churches. ²⁹ Who is ^(BT)weak without my being weak? Who is ^[n]led into sin ^[o]without my intense concern?

³⁰ If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my ^(BU)weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(BV)He who is blessed forever, ^(BW)knows that I am not lying. ³² In ^(BX)Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was ^(BY)guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, ³³ and I was let down in a basket ^(BZ)through a window ^[p]in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

Paul’s Vision

12 ^(CA)Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and ^(CB)revelations ^[q]of the Lord. ² I know a man ^(CC)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, ^(CD)God knows—such a man was ^(CE)caught up to the ^(CF)third heaven. ³ And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, ^(CG)God knows— ⁴ was ^(CH)caught up into ^(CI)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. ^5 (CJ)On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my ^(CK)weaknesses. ⁶ For if I do wish to boast I will not be ^(CL)foolish, ^(CM)for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

A Thorn in the Flesh

⁷ Because of the surpassing greatness of the ^(CN)revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a ^(CO)thorn in the flesh, a ^(CP)messenger of Satan to ^[r]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! ⁸ Concerning this I implored the Lord ^(CQ)three times that it might leave me. ⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(CR)power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather ^(CS)boast ^[s]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore ^(CT)I am well content with weaknesses, with ^[t]insults, with ^(CU)distresses, with ^(CV)persecutions, with ^(CW)difficulties, ^(CX)for Christ’s sake; for ^(CY)when I am weak, then I am strong.

¹¹ I have become ^(CZ)foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for ^(DA)in no respect was I inferior to the ^[u]most eminent apostles, even though ^(DB)I am a nobody. ¹² The ^[v](DC)signs ^[w]of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by ^[x]signs and wonders and ^[y]miracles. ¹³ For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that ^(DD)I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me ^(DE)this wrong!

¹⁴ Here ^(DF)for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I ^(DG)will not be a burden to you; for I ^(DH)do not seek what is yours, but ^(DI)you; for ^(DJ)children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but ^(DK)parents for their children. ¹⁵ I will ^(DL)most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If ^(DM)I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ But be that as it may, I ^(DN)did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I ^(DO)took you in by deceit. ^17 (DP)Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? ¹⁸ I ^(DQ)urged ^(DR)Titus to go, and I sent ^(DS)the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not ^[z]conduct ourselves ^[aa]in the same ^(DT)spirit and walk ^(DU)in the same steps?

¹⁹ All this time ^[ab]you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, ^(DV)it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and ^(DW)all for your upbuilding, ^(DX)beloved. ²⁰ For I am afraid that perhaps ^(DY)when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be ^(DZ)strife, jealousy, ^(EA)angry tempers, ^(EB)disputes, ^(EC)slanders, ^(ED)gossip, ^(EE)arrogance, ^(EF)disturbances; ²¹ I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have ^(EG)sinned in the past and not repented of the ^(EH)impurity, ^[ac]immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.

God’s Guidance of His People in Spite of Their Unfaithfulness.

A ^[a]Maskil of Asaph.