Joab Plots To Reconcile David With Absalom
1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
1 Joab son of Zeruiah observed that the king’s mind was on Absalom.
1 Meanwhile, Zeruiah's son Joab knew that the king's attention was focused on Absalom,
1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.
2 So Joab sent to (B)Tekoa and (a)brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not (C)anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;
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:
2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa(A) to bring a clever(B) woman from there. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning: dress in mourning clothes and don’t put on any oil.(C) Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.
2 so he sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, "Please play the role of a mourner, wear the clothes of a mourner, and refrain from using makeup. Act like a woman who's been in mourning for the dead for many days.
2 So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there and told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning clothes, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has for many days been in mourning for the dead.
4 Now when the woman of Tekoa (b)spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and (E)prostrated herself and said, “(F)Help, O king.”
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.
4 When the woman from Tekoa came(a) to the king, she fell with her face to the ground in homage and said, “Help me, my king!”
4 When the woman from Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, prostrating herself to address him, "Help, your majesty!"
4 When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she bowed with her face to the ground and lay herself down, and said, “Help, O king.”
5 The king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she (c)answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.
5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
5 “What’s the matter?” the king asked her.“To tell the truth, I am a widow; my husband died,” she said.(D)
5 The king asked her, "What's your problem?"
6 Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no (d)one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him.
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.
6 “Your servant had two sons. They were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
6 "I've been a widowed woman ever since my husband died," she answered. "Your humble servant used to have two sons, but they got into a fight out in the field. Because there was no one to keep them apart, one of them attacked the other and killed him.
6 Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled and fought in the field. There was no one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him.
7 Now behold, (G)the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, (H)and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to (e)leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”
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.
7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant and said, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother so we may put him to death for the life of the brother he murdered. We will destroy the heir!’ They would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on earth.”
7 Now please pay attention closely! My whole family is attacking your humble servant! They're saying, "Turn over the one who attacked his brother and we'll put him to death in retribution for his brother, whose life he took. That way, we'll kill the heir also!' They're going to extinguish the only light left in my family, leaving my late husband neither an ongoing name nor a survivor on the face of the earth!"
7 Now behold, the entire family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother, so that we may (c)put him to death [to pay] for the life of his brother whom he killed and destroy the heir also.’ By doing this they will extinguish my coal that is left, leaving my husband without a name or a remnant (heir) 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.”
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
8 The king told the woman, “Go home. I will issue a command on your behalf.”
8 Then the king replied to the woman, "Go home and I'll issue a special order just for you."
8 Then David said to the woman, “Go to your home, and I will give orders concerning you.”
9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, (I)the iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but (J)the king and his throne are guiltless.”
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.
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me(E) and my father’s house, and may the king and his throne be innocent.”
9 But the woman from Tekoa told the king, "Your majesty, let any guilt for this be on me and on my ancestors' household, and not on my king or his throne!"
9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, the guilt is on me and on my father’s house, but the king and his throne are guiltless.”
10 So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.”
10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
10 “Whoever speaks to you,” the king said, “bring him to me. He will not trouble you again!”
10 The king replied, "Bring anyone who talks to you about this to me, and he certainly won't be bothering you anymore!"
10 The king said, “If anyone speaks to you [about this matter], bring him to me [for judgment], and he will not touch you again.”
11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, (K)so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “(L)As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
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.
11 She replied, “Please, may the king invoke the Lord your God, so that the avenger of blood will not increase the loss, and they will not eliminate my son!”(F)“As the Lord lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son will fall to the ground.”(G)
11 Then she said, "Your majesty, please remember the LORD your God, so that blood avengers don't do any more damage! Otherwise, they'll destroy my son!" So he promised, "As the LORD lives, not even a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground!"
11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And David said, “As the Lord lives, not a single hair [from the head] of your son shall fall to the ground.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”
12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
12 Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?”“Speak,” he replied.
12 At this, the woman responded, "Would your majesty the king please allow your humble servant to say one more thing?" "Say it"" he replied.
12 Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak one more word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.”
13 The woman said, “(M)Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back (N)his banished one.
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.
13 The woman asked, “Why have you devised something similar against the people of God? When the king spoke as he did about this matter, he has pronounced his own guilt. The king has not brought back his own banished one.
13 "Why, then," the woman asked, "are you planning to act just like this against God's people? Based on what your majesty has said, you're acting like one who is guilty himself, because you're not bringing back the one whom you've banished!
13 The woman said, “Now why have you planned such a thing against God’s people? For in speaking this word the king is like a guilty man, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.
14 For (O)we will surely die and are (P)like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but plans (f)ways so that (Q)the banished one will not be cast out from him.
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.
14 We will certainly die(H) and be like water poured out on the ground, which can’t be recovered. But God would not take away a life; He would devise plans so that the one banished from Him does not remain banished.
14 After all, even though we all die, and we're all like water being spilled on the ground that cannot be recovered, nevertheless God doesn't take away life, but carries out his plans so as not to cast away permanently from him those who are presently estranged.
14 For we will certainly die and are like water that is spilled on the ground and cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not [simply] take away life, but devises plans so that the one who is banished is not driven away from Him.
15 Now (g)the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your maidservant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the (h)request of his maidservant.
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.
15 “Now therefore, I’ve come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought: I must speak to the king. Perhaps the king will grant his servant’s request.
15 "Now as to why I've come to speak with your majesty the king, it's because the people have made me afraid, so your humble servant told herself, "I'll go speak to the king, so perhaps the king will do what his humble servant has requested.
15 Now I came to speak of this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. So your maidservant thought, ‘I will just speak to the king; perhaps the king will do what his maidservant requests.
16 For the king will hear (i)and deliver his maidservant from the (j)hand of the man who would destroy (k)both me and my son from (R)the inheritance of God.’
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.
16 The king will surely listen in order to rescue his servant from the hand of this man who would eliminate both me and my son from God’s inheritance.
16 Perhaps the king will listen and deliver his humble servant from the oppression of the man who intends to eliminate both me and my son from what God has apportioned to us!'
16 For the king will hear and save his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’
17 Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be (l)comforting, for as (S)the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”
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.
17 Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring relief, for my lord the king is able to discern the good and the bad like the Angel of God. May the Lord your God be with you.”
17 "So your humble servant is saying, "Please, your majesty, let what the king has to say be of comfort, because just as the angel of God is, so also is your majesty the king to discern both good and evil. And may the LORD your God remain present with you.'"
17 Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for my lord the king is as the angel of God to discern good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”
18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.”
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.
18 Then the king answered the woman, “I’m going to ask you something; don’t conceal it from me!”“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman replied.
18 In reply, the king asked the woman, "Please don't conceal anything about which I'm going to be asking you now." So the woman replied, "Please, your majesty, let the king speak."
18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Do not hide from me anything that I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.”
19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was (T)your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant;
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:
19 The king asked, “Did Joab put you up to(b) all this?”The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say.
19 Then the king asked, "Is Joab behind all of this with you?"
19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all of this?” And the woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. Indeed, it was your servant Joab who commanded me; he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant.
20 in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, (U)like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”
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.
20 Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly,(c) but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the Angel of God, knowing everything on earth.”
20 "As your soul lives, your majesty, the king," the woman answered, "no one can divert anything left or right from what your majesty the king has spoken! As a matter of fact, it was your servant Joab! He was there, giving me precise orders about everything that your humble servant was to say. Your servant Joab did this, intending to change the outcome of this matter. Nevertheless, your majesty is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to be aware of everything that's going on throughout the earth."
20 In order to change the appearance of things [between Absalom and you, his father] your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, (V)I will surely do this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”
21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
21 Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
21 Then the king addressed Joab, "Look! I'll do this thing that you've requested. Go bring back the young man Absalom."
21 Then the king said to Joab, “Listen, I will most certainly do this thing; now go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the (m)request of his servant.”
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.
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and praised the king. “Today,” Joab said, “your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant.”
22 At this, Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrating himself to bless the king, and then said, "Today your servant realizes that he's found favor with you, your majesty, in that the king has acted on the request of his servant."
22 Joab bowed his face toward the ground and lay himself down and blessed the king. Then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has done the request of his servant.”
Absalom Returns To Jerusalem
24 However the king said, “Let him turn to (X)his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.
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.
24 However, the king added, “He may return to his house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.(d)
24 Nevertheless, the king said, "Let him return to his own home and not show his face to me." So Absalom returned to his own home and did not show his face to the king.
24 However, the king said, “Let him go to his own house, and do not let him see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king’s face.
Absalom Reconciled To David
25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; (Y)from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.
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.
25 No man in all Israel was as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.
25 Now throughout all of Israel no one was as handsome as Absalom or so highly praised, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there wasn't a single thing wrong about him.
25 Now in all Israel there was no man as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised [for that]; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 When he (Z)cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight.
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.
26 When he shaved his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off—he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds(e) according to the royal standard.
26 Whenever he cut his hair he cut it at the end of every year, because it grew thick on his head, which is why he cut it his hair weighed in at 200 shekels measured by the royal standard.
27 (AA)To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was (AB)Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.
27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.
27 Absalom fathered three sons and one daughter, whom he named Tamar. She was a beautiful woman, both in form and appearance.
28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.
28 Absalom resided in Jerusalem two years but never saw the king.
28 Meanwhile, Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but never saw the king's face.
28 Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without seeing the king’s face.
29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he would not come.
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.
29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab was unwilling to come. So he sent again, a second time, but he still wouldn’t come.
29 After this, Absalom sent for Joab, intending to send him to the king, but Joab would not come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but he still would not come.
29 So Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him; even when he sent again a second time, he [still] would not come.
30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, (AD)Joab’s (n)field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the (o)field on fire.
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.
30 Then Absalom said to his servants, “See, Joab has a field right next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set fire to it!” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.(f)
30 So Absalom told his servants, "Observe that Joab's grain field lies next to mine. He has barley planted there. Go set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
30 Therefore Absalom said to his servants, “See, Joab’s property is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my (p)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?
31 Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
31 At this, Joab got up, went to Absalom's home, and demanded of him, "Why did your servants set fire to my grain field?"
32 Absalom (q)answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face, (AE)and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.”
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.
32 “Look,” Absalom explained to Joab, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? I’d be better off if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king. If I am guilty, let him kill me.”
32 In answer to Joab, Absalom replied, "Look, I sent for you, telling you "Come here so I can send you to the king to ask him "What's the point in moving here from Geshur? I would have been better off to have remained there!"' So let me see the king's face, and if I'm guilty of anything, let him execute me!"
32 Absalom answered Joab, “I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come [back] from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.”
33 So when Joab came to the king and told him, he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his face to the ground before the king, and (AF)the king kissed Absalom.
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.
33 Joab went to the king and told him. So David summoned Absalom, who came to the king and bowed down with his face to the ground before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
33 So when Joab approached the king and told him what Absalom had said, he summoned Absalom, who then came to the king and fell to the ground on his face in front of him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
33 So Joab came to the king and told him. Then David called for Absalom, and he came to the king and bowed his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.