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

¶ Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

2 A nd 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:

And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought an astute woman from there and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner and put on mourning apparel and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman that has mourned for a long time for someone who is dead

3 A nd come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 A nd 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.

And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance and said, Save me, O king.

5 A nd the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead.

6 A nd 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.

And thy handmaid had two sons, and the two strove together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one smote the other and slew him.

7 A nd, 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.

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy 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. So they shall quench my coal which is left and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

8 A nd the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee.

9 A nd 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.

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 A nd the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11 T hen 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.

Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou will not allow the avengers of blood to increase the damage by destroying my son. And he said, As the LORD lives, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.

12 T hen the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13 A nd 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.

And the woman said, Why then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this word as one who is guilty in that the king does not bring home again his banished.

14 F or 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.

For it is certain that we die and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither does God respect any person; yet he does devise means that his outcasts not be expelled from him.

15 N ow 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.

Now, therefore, that I have come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. But thy handmaid said to herself, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the word of his handmaid.

16 F or 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.

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 T hen 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.

Then thy handmaid said, Let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil; and let the LORD thy God be with thee.

18 T hen 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.

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 A nd 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:

And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, By the life of thy soul, my lord the king, I can not turn to the right hand or to the left from all that my lord the king has spoken; for thy slave Joab, he commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;

20 T o 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.

to bring about this form of speech thy slave Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know that which is done in the earth.

21 A nd the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

¶ Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

22 A nd 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.

And Joab fell to the ground on his face and worshipped and blessed the king, and Joab said, Today thy slave knows that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the word of his slave.

23 S o Joab arose and 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 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.

But the king said, Let him go to his own house and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and did not see the king’s face.

25 B ut 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.

And in all Israel there was no one to be so greatly 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 A nd 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.

And when he shaved his head (for it was at every year’s end that he shaved it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore, he shaved it), the hair of his head weighed two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.

27 A nd unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

And unto Absalom there were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar, who was a beautiful woman to behold.

28 S o Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

¶ So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and did not see the king’s face.

29 T herefore 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.

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 T herefore 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.

Therefore, he said unto his slaves, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s slaves set the field on fire.

31 T hen Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

Then Joab arose and came to Absalom unto his house and said unto him, Why have thy slaves set my field on fire?

32 A nd 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.

And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I have sent for thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It would have been better for me to have been there still. Now, therefore, let me see the king’s face; and if there is any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33 S o 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.

So Joab came to the king and told him. Then he called Absalom, who came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.