1 N ow Joab the son of Zeruiah saw that the king missed Absalom very much.

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

2 S o Joab sent for a wise woman from Tekoa, and said to her, “Pretend to be filled with sorrow. Dress as if you were filled with sorrow, and do not pour oil on yourself. Dress like a woman who has been filled with sorrow for the dead many days.

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 T hen go to the king and speak to him in this way.” 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 Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showing honor, 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 said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she answered, “I am a woman whose husband has died.

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

6 Y our woman servant had two sons. But they fought together in the field and there was no one to pull them apart. So one hit 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 N ow the whole family has come against your woman servant. They say, ‘Give us the one who killed his brother. We must put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ So I would be without a son to receive what belonged to his parents when I die. They would put out the last of the fire which is left to me. My husband would be left without a name and with no children on 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 T hen the king said to the woman, “Go to your house. I will say what should be done about your trouble.”

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

9 T he woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord the king, the sin is on me and my father’s family. But the king and his throne are without guilt.”

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 will 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 beg the king to remember the Lord your God, that the one who punishes for blood will stop destroying. Or my son might be destroyed.” And the king said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground.”

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 woman servant speak to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

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

13 T he woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in deciding in this way, the king is as one who is guilty. For the king does not bring home his son who has been driven away.

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 I t is sure that we will die. We are like water poured on the ground, which cannot be picked up again. But God does not take away life. He plans ways so that the one who is driven away may not be kept away 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 I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your woman servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. It might be that the king will do what his woman servant asks.

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 and save his woman servant from the man who would destroy both me and my son from the gift 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 T hen your woman servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will comfort me. For my lord the king is like the angel of God in understanding what is good and bad. 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, “Do not hide anything from me that 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 S o the king said, “Is Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from anything my lord the king has said. Yes, it was your servant Joab who told me to do this. It was he who put all these words in the mouth of your woman servant.

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 Y our servant Joab has done this to change the way things are now. But my lord is wise like the angel of God, to know all that is 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, “See now, I will do this. Go and 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 on his face to the ground in honor and thanks to the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your eyes, O my lord the king. Because the king has done what his servant has asked of him.”

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 got up and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

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

24 B ut the king said, “Let him go to his own house. Do not let him see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king’s face. David Forgives Absalom

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 N ow there was no one in Israel as good looking and as much praised as Absalom. There was nothing wrong with him from the bottom of his foot to the top of his head.

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 t the end of every year he would cut the hair from his head, for it was heavy on him. When he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head. It weighed as much as 200 pieces of silver, 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 hree sons were born to Absalom, 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 lived two whole 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 T hen Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But Joab would not come to him. So he sent for him a second time. But 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 H e 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 burned the field.

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 got up and came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants burned my field?”

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 for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to say to the king, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would have been better for me to stay there.”’ Now let me see the king’s face. If there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.”

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 T hen Joab went to the king and told him. And he called for Absalom. So he came to the king and put his face to the ground in front of him. And the king 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.