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2 Samuel 14
New English Translation

David Permits Absalom to Return to Jerusalem

14 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see[a] Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning[b] and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.[c] 3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.[d]

4 So the Tekoan woman went[e] to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me,[f] O king!” 5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?”[g] She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 Your servant[h] has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death[i] of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal,[j] leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”

8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.”[k] 9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”

10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 11 She replied, “In that case,[l] let the king invoke the name of[m] the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not add to the killing! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head[n] will fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored.[o] 15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful.[p] But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant[q] asks. 16 Yes![r] The king may[s] listen and deliver his female servant[t] from the hand of the man who seeks to remove[u] both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’[v] 17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”

18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?”[w] The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.”[x]

21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I[y] will do this thing. Go and bring back the young man Absalom!” 22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked[z] the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your[aa] servant!”

23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “Let him go over[ab] to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over[ac] to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom.[ad] From the soles of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.[ae] 26 When he would shave his head—at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long[af] and he would shave it—he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds[ag] according to the king’s weight. 27 Absalom had[ah] three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a very attractive woman.[ai]

28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab[aj] was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come. 30 So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.”[ak] So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s[al] portion of the field on fire.

31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?” 32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message:[am] “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”

33 So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king[an] summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom[ao] bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.[ap]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:1 tn Heb “the heart of the king was upon.” The Syriac Peshitta adds the verb ʾethreʿi (“was reconciled”).
  2. 2 Samuel 14:2 tn The Hebrew Hitpael verbal form here indicates pretended rather than genuine action.
  3. 2 Samuel 14:2 tn Heb “these many days.”
  4. 2 Samuel 14:3 tn Heb “put the words in her mouth” (so NASB, NIV).
  5. 2 Samuel 14:4 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וַתַּבֹא (vattavoʾ, “and she went”) rather than the MT וַתֹּאמֶר (vattoʾmer, “and she said”). The MT reading shows confusion with וַתֹּאמֶר later in the verse. The emendation suggested here is supported by the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, some mss of the Targum, and Vulgate.
  6. 2 Samuel 14:4 tn The word “me” is left to be inferred in the Hebrew text; it is present in the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate.
  7. 2 Samuel 14:5 tn Heb “What to you?”
  8. 2 Samuel 14:6 tn Here and elsewhere (vv. 7, 12, 15a, 17, 19) the woman uses a term which suggests a lower level female servant. She uses the term to express her humility before the king. However, she uses a different term in vv. 15b-16. See the note at v. 15 for a discussion of the rhetorical purpose of this switch in terminology.
  9. 2 Samuel 14:7 tn Heb “in exchange for the life.” The Hebrew preposition ב (bet, “in”) here is the so-called bet pretii, or bet (ב) of price, defining the value attached to someone or something.
  10. 2 Samuel 14:7 sn My remaining coal is here metaphorical language, describing the one remaining son as her only source of lingering hope for continuing the family line.
  11. 2 Samuel 14:8 tn Heb “concerning you.”
  12. 2 Samuel 14:11 tn The words “in that case” are not in the Hebrew text, but may be inferred from the context. They are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarification.
  13. 2 Samuel 14:11 tn Heb “let the king remember.”
  14. 2 Samuel 14:11 tn Heb “of your son.”
  15. 2 Samuel 14:14 tn Heb “he devises plans for the one banished from him not to be banished.”
  16. 2 Samuel 14:15 tc The LXX (ὄψεταί με, opsetai me) has misunderstood the Hebrew יֵרְאֻנִי (yereʾuni, Piel perfect, “they have made me fearful”), taking the verb to be a form of the verb רָאָה (raʾah, “to see”) rather than the verb יָרֵא (yareʾ, “to fear”). The fact that the Greek translators were working with an unvocalized Hebrew text (i.e., consonants only) made them very susceptible to this type of error.
  17. 2 Samuel 14:15 tn Here and in v. 16 the woman refers to herself as the king’s אָמָה (ʾamah), a term that refers to a higher level female servant toward whom the master might have some obligation. Like the other term, this word expresses her humility, but it also suggests that the king might have some obligation to treat her in accordance with the principles of justice.
  18. 2 Samuel 14:16 tn Or “for.”
  19. 2 Samuel 14:16 tn Or “will.” The imperfect verbal form can have either an indicative or modal nuance. The use of “perhaps” in v. 15b suggests the latter here.
  20. 2 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “in order to deliver his maid.”
  21. 2 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “destroy.”
  22. 2 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “from the inheritance of God.” The expression refers to the property that was granted to her family line in the division of the land authorized by God.
  23. 2 Samuel 14:19 tn Heb “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”
  24. 2 Samuel 14:20 tn Heb “to know all that is in the land.”
  25. 2 Samuel 14:21 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss have “you” rather than “I.”
  26. 2 Samuel 14:22 tn Heb “blessed.”
  27. 2 Samuel 14:22 tc The present translation reads with the Qere “your” rather than the MT “his.”
  28. 2 Samuel 14:24 tn Heb “turn aside.”
  29. 2 Samuel 14:24 tn Heb “turned aside.”
  30. 2 Samuel 14:25 tn Heb “Like Absalom there was not a handsome man in all Israel to boast exceedingly.”
  31. 2 Samuel 14:25 tn Heb “there was not in him a blemish.”
  32. 2 Samuel 14:26 tn Heb “for it was heavy upon him.”
  33. 2 Samuel 14:26 tn Heb “two hundred shekels.” The modern equivalent would be about three pounds (1.4 kg).
  34. 2 Samuel 14:27 tn Heb “and there were born.”
  35. 2 Samuel 14:27 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And she became a wife to Rehoboam the son of Solomon and bore to him Abia.”
  36. 2 Samuel 14:29 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  37. 2 Samuel 14:30 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And the servants of Absalom burned them up. And the servants of Joab came to him, rending their garments. They said….”
  38. 2 Samuel 14:30 tn The word “Joab’s” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  39. 2 Samuel 14:32 tn Heb “saying.”
  40. 2 Samuel 14:33 tn Heb “he.” Joab, acting on behalf of the king, may be the implied subject.
  41. 2 Samuel 14:33 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. 2 Samuel 14:33 tn Heb “Absalom.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.
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撒母耳記下 14
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)

押沙龍回耶路撒冷

14 洗魯雅的兒子約押知道王想念押沙龍， 2 就派人到提哥亞去召來一個聰明的婦人，對她說：「你假扮哀悼的人，穿上喪服，不要用油抹身，要裝成哀悼很久的婦人， 3 然後到王那裡，對他這樣這樣說。」約押把應該說的話都告訴婦人。

4 提哥亞婦人來到王面前，俯伏在地上說：「王啊，求你救救我吧！」 5 王問她：「你有什麼事？」婦人說：「婢女是個寡婦，丈夫死了。 6 我本來有兩個兒子，有一次他們在田間發生爭執，當時沒有人勸解，其中一個兒子被打死了。 7 現在整個家族都起來反對婢女，說，『把那打死親兄弟的兇手交出來，我們要他以命償命，除掉這個繼承人。』他們要斷了我家的香火，使婢女的丈夫既不能留名，也不能留後。」 8 王說：「你回家去吧！我會為你作主。」 9 提哥亞婦人說：「我主我王，願罪過[a]都落在婢女和婢女家族，一切都與我王和王的王位無關。」 10 王說：「若有人為難你，你就把他帶來，他必不敢再找你的麻煩。」 11 婦人說：「求王憑你的上帝耶和華起誓，不許報仇者殺人，留我兒一命。」王說：「我憑永活的耶和華起誓，你的兒子必毫髮無損。」

12 婦人說：「求我主我王再容婢女說一句。」王說：「說吧！」 13 婦人說：「為什麼王蓄意對上帝的子民行這樣的事呢？王剛才所說的話正表明王的不是了，因為王不讓被流放的兒子回來。 14 人都難免一死，就像覆水難收。然而，上帝不是要奪取人的性命，而是要設法使流亡的人重新回來。 15 我向我主我王說出這番話，是因為人們恐嚇我。我想，不如向王請命，也許王會成全婢女的心願。 16 有人要害我和我兒子的性命，叫我們不得承受上帝所賜的產業，也許王能從這人手中救我們。 17 婢女想，我主我王的話必能安慰我，因為我主我王就像上帝的天使一樣能明辨是非。願王的上帝耶和華常與王同在！」

18 王對婦人說：「我有一件事要問你，你要實實在在地回答我。」婦人說：「我主我王請說。」 19 王說：「這是不是約押的主意？」婦人說：「我敢在我主我王面前發誓，王所說的一點不錯，這些話是你臣僕約押吩咐婢女說的。 20 他這樣做是希望扭轉局面。我主如上帝的天使一樣有智慧，洞悉天下之事。」

21 於是，王對約押說：「我答應你的請求，你去把年輕的押沙龍帶回來吧。」 22 約押俯伏在地，叩謝王恩，說：「今天僕人在我主我王面前蒙了恩，因為王應允了僕人的請求。」 23 約押便到基述把押沙龍接回耶路撒冷。 24 王說：「讓押沙龍回自己的家，不要讓他來見我！」押沙龍便返回自己家中，沒有朝見王。

25 在整個以色列，沒有人像押沙龍那樣因相貌英俊而為人稱道，他從頭到腳毫無瑕疵。 26 他的頭髮濃密，每年年終會很沉重，需要剪髮，剪下的頭髮按王的重量標準約重兩公斤。 27 押沙龍有三兒一女，女兒名叫她瑪，長得非常美麗。

28 押沙龍在耶路撒冷住了兩年，沒有跟王見過面。 29 他派人去請約押來，託他去求見王，但約押不肯來。第二次再請，他還是不肯來。 30 押沙龍就吩咐僕人：「你們看，約押的田就在我的田旁邊，他種了大麥，你們去放火把它燒了。」押沙龍的僕人便把麥田燒了。 31 約押便來到押沙龍家裡，問他：「你為什麼叫僕人放火燒我的田？」 32 押沙龍答道：「我派人請你來，希望你替我去問王，『我為什麼要從基述回來呢？倒不如仍然留在那裡。』現在我要見王，如果我有什麼罪過，就讓他殺了我吧！」 33 約押就去見王，把押沙龍的話告訴他，王便召見押沙龍。押沙龍來到王面前俯首叩拜，王就親吻他。

Footnotes

  1. 14·9 「罪過」可能指違背摩西律法殺人償命的規定。
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2 Samuel 14
New International Version

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Joab(A) son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa(B) and had a wise woman(C) brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions.(D) Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab(E) put the words in her mouth.

4 When the woman from Tekoa went[a] to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

5 The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death(F) for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir(G) as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left,(H) leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

8 The king said to the woman, “Go home,(I) and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon(J) me and my family,(K) and let the king and his throne be without guilt.(L)”

10 The king replied, “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”

11 She said, “Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger(M) of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “not one hair(N) of your son’s head will fall to the ground.(O)”

12 Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”

“Speak,” he replied.

13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself,(P) for the king has not brought back his banished son?(Q) 14 Like water(R) spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die.(S) But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person(T) does not remain banished from him.

15 “And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16 Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’(U)

17 “And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel(V) of God in discerning(W) good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.”

“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said.

19 The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab(X) with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom(Y) like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.(Z)”

21 The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king.(AA) Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head(AB)—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels[b] by the royal standard.

27 Three sons(AC) and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar,(AD) and she became a beautiful woman.

28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley(AE) there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?(AF)”

32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur?(AG) It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”(AH)

33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed(AI) Absalom.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts spoke
  2. 2 Samuel 14:26 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
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