1 N ow Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom.

2 A nd Joab sent to Tekoah and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning apparel, do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has long been mourning for the dead.

And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, 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 A nd go to the king and speak thus to him. And Joab told her what to say.

Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 W hen the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king!

And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”

5 T he king asked her, What troubles you? She said, I am a widow; my husband is dead.

Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, “Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead.

6 A nd your handmaid 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.

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 A nd behold, our whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who slew his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew; and so they would destroy the heir also. And so quenching my coal which is left, they would leave to my husband neither name nor remnant upon the earth.

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 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 D avid said to the woman, Go home, and I will give orders concerning you.

Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

9 A nd the woman of Tekoah said to the king, My lord, O king, let the guilt be on me and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.

And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

10 T he king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you again.

So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

11 T hen she said, I pray you, let the king remember the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And David said, As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.

Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.” And he said, “ As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 T hen the woman said, Let your handmaid, I pray you, speak one word to my lord the king. He said, Say on.

Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”

13 s aid, Why then have you planned such a thing against God’s people? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that does not bring home his banished one.

So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.

14 W e must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take away life, but devises means so that he who is banished may not be an utter outcast from Him.

For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.

15 A nd now I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And I thought, I will speak to the king; it may be that he will perform the request of his servant.

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 F or the king will hear to deliver his handmaid from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.

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 inheritance of God.’

17 A nd the woman said, The word of my lord the king will now give me rest and security, for as an angel of God is my lord the king to hear and discern good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you!

Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 T hen the king said to the woman, Hide not from me anything I ask you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king speak.

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 T he king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who directed me; he put all these words in my mouth.

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 he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant.

20 I n order to change the course of matters your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God—to know all things that are on the earth.

To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

21 T hen the king said to Joab, Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.

And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 A nd Joab fell to the ground on his face and did obeisance and 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 performed the request of his servant.

Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and 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 S o Joab arose, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 A nd the king said, Let him go to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but 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 B ut in all Israel there was none so much to be praised for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26 A nd when he cut the hair of his head, he weighed it—for at each year’s end he cut it, because its weight was a burden to him—and it weighed 200 shekels by the king’s weight.

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 T here were born to Absalom three sons and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.

To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 A bsalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and did not see the king’s face.

And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.

29 S o Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him; even when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

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 T herefore Absalom said to his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. So Absalom’s servants set the field afire.

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 T hen Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire?

Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 A bsalom answered Joab, I sent to you, saying, Come here, that I may send you to the king to ask, Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore, let me see the king, and if there is iniquity and guilt in me, let him kill me.

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 if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”

33 S o Joab came to the king and told him. And when David had called for Absalom, he came to him and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and kissed Absalom.

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 kissed Absalom.