Font Size
2 Samuel 14
Nueva Versión Internacional
2 Samuel 14
Nueva Versión Internacional
Absalón regresa a Jerusalén
14 Joab, hijo de Sarvia, se dio cuenta de que el rey extrañaba mucho a Absalón. 2 Por eso mandó traer a una mujer muy astuta, la cual vivía en Tecoa, y dijo:
—Quiero que te vistas de luto y que no te eches perfume, sino que finjas estar de duelo, como si llevaras mucho tiempo llorando la muerte de alguien.
3 Luego Joab le ordenó presentarse ante el rey, explicándole antes lo que tenía que decirle. 4 Cuando aquella mujer de Tecoa se presentó ante el rey,[a] hizo una reverencia y se postró rostro en tierra.
—¡Ayúdeme, Su Majestad! —exclamó.
5 —¿Qué te pasa? —preguntó el rey.
—Soy una pobre viuda —respondió ella—; mi esposo ha muerto. 6 Esta servidora suya tenía dos hijos, los cuales se pusieron a pelear en el campo. Como no había nadie que los separara, uno de ellos le asestó un golpe al otro y lo mató. 7 Pero ahora resulta que toda la familia se ha puesto en contra de esta servidora suya. Me exigen que entregue al asesino para que lo maten, y así vengar la muerte de su hermano, aunque al hacerlo eliminen al heredero. La verdad es que de esa manera apagarían la última luz de esperanza que me queda, y dejarían a mi esposo sin nombre ni descendencia sobre la tierra.
8 —Regresa a tu casa, que yo me encargaré de este asunto —respondió el rey.
9 Pero la mujer de Tecoa respondió:
—Mi señor y rey, que la culpa caiga sobre mí y sobre mi familia, y no sobre el rey ni su trono.
10 —Si alguien te amenaza —insistió el rey—, tráemelo para que no vuelva a molestarte.
11 Entonces ella suplicó:
—¡Ruego a Su Majestad invocar al Señor su Dios, para que quien deba vengar la muerte de mi hijo no aumente mi desgracia matando a mi otro hijo!
—¡Tan cierto como que el Señor vive —respondió el rey—, te aseguro que tu hijo no perderá ni un solo cabello!
12 Pero la mujer siguió diciendo:
—Permita mi señor y rey que esta servidora suya diga algo más.
—Habla.
13 —¿Cómo es que intenta usted hacer lo mismo contra el pueblo de Dios? Al prometerme el rey estas cosas, se declara culpable, pues no deja regresar a su hijo desterrado. 14 Así como el agua que se derrama en tierra no se puede recoger, así también todos tenemos que morir. Pero Dios no nos arrebata la vida, sino que provee los medios para que el desterrado no siga separado de él para siempre.
15 »Yo he venido a hablar con mi señor el rey porque hay gente que me ha infundido temor. He pensado: “Voy a hablarle al rey; tal vez me conceda lo que le pida, 16 librándonos a mí y a mi hijo de quien quiere eliminarnos, para quedarse con la heredad que Dios nos ha dado”.
17 »Pensé, además, que su palabra me traería alivio, pues mi señor el rey es como un ángel de Dios, que sabe distinguir entre lo bueno y lo malo. ¡Que el Señor su Dios esté con usted!».
18 Al llegar a este punto, el rey dijo a la mujer:
—Voy a hacerte una pregunta y te pido que no me ocultes nada.
—Dígame usted.
19 —¿Acaso no está Joab detrás de todo esto?
La mujer respondió:
—Tan cierto como que mi señor y rey vive, su pregunta ha dado en el blanco.[b] En efecto, fue su siervo Joab quien me instruyó y puso en mis labios todo lo que he dicho. 20 Lo hizo con el propósito de cambiar la situación, pero mi señor tiene la sabiduría de un ángel de Dios y sabe todo lo que sucede en el país.
21 Entonces el rey llamó a Joab y le dijo:
—Estoy de acuerdo. Anda, haz que regrese el joven Absalón.
22 Postrándose rostro en tierra, Joab hizo una reverencia al rey y le dio las gracias, añadiendo:
—Hoy sé que cuento con el favor de mi señor y rey, pues usted ha accedido a mi petición.
23 Dicho esto, Joab emprendió la marcha a Guesur y regresó a Jerusalén con Absalón. 24 Pero el rey dio esta orden: «Que se retire a su casa y que nunca me visite». Por tanto, Absalón tuvo que irse a su casa sin presentarse ante el rey.
25 En todo Israel no había ningún hombre tan admirado como Absalón por su hermosura; era perfecto de pies a cabeza. 26 Tenía una cabellera tan pesada que una vez al año tenía que cortársela; y según la medida oficial, el pelo cortado pesaba doscientos siclos.[c]
27 Además, tuvo tres hijos y una hija. Su hija, que se llamaba Tamar, llegó a ser una mujer muy hermosa.
28 Absalón vivió en Jerusalén durante dos años sin presentarse ante el rey. 29 Un día, pidió a Joab que fuera a ver al rey, pero Joab no quiso ir. Se lo volvió a pedir, pero Joab se negó a hacerlo. 30 Así que Absalón dio esta orden a sus criados: «Miren, Joab ha sembrado cebada en el campo que tiene junto al mío. ¡Vayan y préndanle fuego!».
Los criados fueron e incendiaron el campo de Joab.
31 Entonces, este fue enseguida a casa de Absalón y reclamó:
—¿Por qué tus criados han prendido fuego a mi campo?
32 Y Absalón respondió:
—Te pedí que fueras a ver al rey y le preguntaras para qué he vuelto de Guesur. ¡Más me habría valido quedarme allá! Voy a presentarme ante el rey y si soy culpable de algo, ¡que me mate!
33 Joab fue a comunicárselo al rey. Este mandó llamar a Absalón, quien se presentó ante el rey, hizo una reverencia y se postró rostro en tierra. A su vez, el rey recibió a Absalón con un beso.
2 Samuel 14
King James Version
2 Samuel 14
King James Version
14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 And when the woman of Tekoah 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, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine 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 slew him.
7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
9 And the woman of Tekoah 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, Whoever saith ought 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 the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.
14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing 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 handmaid.
16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.
18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
19 And the king said, Is not 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 ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:
20 To fetch about this form of speech 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, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of 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, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
25 But 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 polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled 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 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.
29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, 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 had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any 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.
2 Samuel 14
English Standard Version
2 Samuel 14
English Standard Version
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew (A)that the king's heart went out to Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to (B)Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. (C)Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab (D)put the words in her mouth.
4 When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, (E)she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, (F)“Save me, O king.” 5 And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, (G)“Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would (H)destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor (I)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 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, (J)“On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10 The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11 Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that (K)the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, (L)“As the Lord lives, (M)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.” He said, “Speak.” 13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against (N)the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring (O)his banished one home again. 14 We must all die; we are (P)like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means (Q)so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from (R)the heritage of God.’ 17 And your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is (S)like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”
18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, (T)“As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; (U)it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of (V)the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage (W)and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to (X)Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence.
25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. (Y)From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he (Z)cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels[a] by the king's weight. 27 There were born (AA)to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.
28 So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king's presence. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.[b] 31 Then Joab arose and went 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 word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from (AB)Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, (AC)and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’” 33 Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 14:26 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- 2 Samuel 14:30 Septuagint, Dead Sea Scroll add So Joab's servants came to him with their clothes torn, and they said to him, “The servants of Absalom have set your field on fire.”
2 Samuel 14
New King James Version
2 Samuel 14
New King James Version
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
14 So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned (A)about Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to (B)Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, (C)and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab (D)put the words in her mouth.
4 And when the woman of Tekoa [a]spoke to the king, she (E)fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, (F)“Help, O king!”
5 Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?”
And she answered, (G)“Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. 6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him (H)for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”
8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”
9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let (I)the [b]iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, (J)and the king and his throne be guiltless.”
10 So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”
11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit (K)the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.”
And he said, (L)“As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
12 Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.”
And he said, “Say on.”
13 So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against (M)the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring (N)his banished one home again. 14 For we (O)will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not (P)take away a life; but He (Q)devises means, so that His banished ones are not [c]expelled from Him. 15 Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the (R)inheritance of God.’ 17 Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for (S)as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in (T)discerning 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 from me anything that I ask you.”
And the woman said, “Please, let my lord the king speak.”
19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As you live, 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 commanded me, and (U)he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. 20 To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, (V)according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”
21 And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and [d]thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose (W)and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but (X)do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.
David Forgives Absalom
25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. (Y)From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard. 27 (Z)To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.
28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, (AA)but did not see the king’s face. 29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. 30 So he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has 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’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to 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 to be there still.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but (AB)if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”
33 So Joab went 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. Then the king (AC)kissed Absalom.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 14:4 Many Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg. came
- 2 Samuel 14:9 guilt
- 2 Samuel 14:14 cast out
- 2 Samuel 14:22 Lit. blessed
2 Samuel 14
1599 Geneva Bible
2 Samuel 14
1599 Geneva Bible
14 2 Absalom is reconciled to his father by the subtlety of Joab. 24 Absalom may not see the King’s face. 25 The beauty of Absalom. 30 He causeth Joab’s corn to be burnt, and is brought to his father’s presence.
1 Then Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived, that the king’s [a]heart was toward Absalom,
2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought thence a [b]subtle woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to mourn, and now put on mourning apparel, and [c]anoint not thyself with oil: but be as a woman that had now long time mourned for the dead.
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him, (for Joab [d]taught her what she should say).
4 ¶ Then the woman of Tekoa spake unto the king, and fell down on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, [e]Help, O King.
5 Then the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a [f]widow, and mine husband is dead:
6 And thine handmaid had two [g]sons, and they two strove together in the field, (and there was none to part them) so the one smote the other, and slew him.
7 And behold the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the [h]soul of his brother whom he slew, that we may destroy the heir also: so they shall quench my sparkle which is left, and shall not leave to mine husband neither name nor posterity upon the earth.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give a charge for thee.
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said unto the King, My lord, O King, this [i]trespass be on me, and on my father’s house, and the King and his throne be [j]guiltless.
10 And the King said, Bring him to me that speaketh against thee, and he shall touch thee no more.
11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king [k]remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer many revengers of blood to destroy, lest they slay my son. And he answered, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said, I pray thee, let thine handmaid speak a word to my lord the King. And he said, Say on.
13 Then the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou [l]thought such a thing against the people of God? or why doth the King, as one which is faulty, speak this thing, that he will not bring again his banished?
14 For we must needs die, and we are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again: neither doth God [m]spare any person, yet doth he appoint [n]means, not to cast out from him, him that is expelled.
15 Now therefore, that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the King, the cause is that the people [o]have made me afraid: therefore thine handmaid said, Now will I speak unto the King: it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.
16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me, and also my son from the inheritance of God.
17 Therefore thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be [p]comfortable: for my lord the King is even as an [q]Angel of God in hearing of good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God be with thee.
18 Then the king answered, and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
19 And the king said, Is not [r]the hand of Joab with thee in all this? Then the woman answered, and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the King, I will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for even thy servant Joab bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid.
20 For to the intent that I [s]should change the form of speech, thy servant Joab hath done this thing: but [t]my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel of God, to understand all things that are in the earth.
21 ¶ And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have [u]done this thing: go then, and bring the young man Absalom again.
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself and [v]thanked the King. Then Joab said, This day thy servant knoweth, that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord the king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
23 ¶ And Joab arose, and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the King said, Let him [w]turn to his own house, and 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 for beauty as Absalom: from the sole of his foot even to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 And when he polled his head, (for at every year’s end he polled it: because it was too heavy for him, therefore he polled it) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred [x]shekels by the king’s weight.
27 And Absalom had three sons, and one daughter named Tamar, which was a fair woman to look upon.
28 ¶ So Absalom dwelt the space of two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the King, but he would not come to him: and when he sent again, he would not come.
30 Therefore he said unto his servants, Behold, Joab hath a [y]field by my place, and hath barley therein: go, and set it [z]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 burnt my field with fire?
32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent for thee, saying, Come thou hither, and I will send thee to the king for to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? It had been better for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face: and [aa]if there be any trespass in me, let him kill me.
33 Then Joab came to the king, and told him: and he called for Absalom, who came to the king, and bowed himself to the ground on his face before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 14:1 That the king favored him.
- 2 Samuel 14:2 Or, wife.
- 2 Samuel 14:2 In token of mourning: for they used anointing to seem cheerful.
- 2 Samuel 14:3 Hebrew, put words in her mouth.
- 2 Samuel 14:4 Hebrew, Save.
- 2 Samuel 14:5 Hebrew, a widow woman.
- 2 Samuel 14:6 Under this parable she describeth the death of Amnon by Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 14:7 Because he hath slain his brother he ought to be slain according to the Law, Gen. 9:6; Exod. 21:12.
- 2 Samuel 14:9 As touching the breach of the Law which punisheth blood, let me bear the blame.
- 2 Samuel 14:9 Or, innocent.
- 2 Samuel 14:11 Swear that they shall not revenge the blood, which are many in number.
- 2 Samuel 14:13 Why dost thou give contrary sentence in thy son Absalom?
- 2 Samuel 14:14 Or, accept.
- 2 Samuel 14:14 God hath provided ways (as sanctuaries) to save them oft times, whom man judgeth worthy death.
- 2 Samuel 14:15 For I thought they would kill this mine heir.
- 2 Samuel 14:17 Hebrew, rest.
- 2 Samuel 14:17 Is of great wisdom to discern right from wrong.
- 2 Samuel 14:19 Hast not thou done this by the counsel of Joab.
- 2 Samuel 14:20 By speaking further in a parable then plainly.
- 2 Samuel 14:20 Or, none can hide ought from the King.
- 2 Samuel 14:21 I have granted thy request.
- 2 Samuel 14:22 Hebrew, blessed.
- 2 Samuel 14:24 Covering hereby his affection, and showing some part of justice to please the people.
- 2 Samuel 14:26 Which weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces after half an ounce the shekel.
- 2 Samuel 14:30 Or, possession.
- 2 Samuel 14:30 The wicked are impatient in their affections, and spare no unlawful means to compass them.
- 2 Samuel 14:32 If I have offended by revenging my sister’s dishonor: thus the wicked justify themselves in their evil.
Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI) 
Santa Biblia, NUEVA VERSIÓN INTERNACIONAL® NVI® © 1999, 2015, 2022 por Biblica, Inc.®, Inc.® Usado con permiso de Biblica, Inc.® Reservados todos los derechos en todo el mundo. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.