Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 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.


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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. read more.
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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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.


Then one of the seraphim flew unto me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched thy lips; and it shall take away thy guilt, and thy sin shall be cleansed.

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.


Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 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.


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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. 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. read more.
And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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.


Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 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.


Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 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.


Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 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.


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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. read more.
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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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.


The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree replied, Should I leave my fatness, which because of me, God and man are honoured, to go and sway over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou and reign over us. read more.
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit to go and sway over the trees? Then the trees said unto the vine, Come thou and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, to go and sway over the trees? Then all the trees said unto the bramble, Come thou and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and confide under my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many sheep and cows, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him and with his children; it ate of his own food and drank of his own cup and lay in his bosom and was unto him as a daughter. read more.
And a traveller came unto the rich man, who did not wish to take of his own sheep and of his own cows to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that had come to him.

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


And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. read more.
And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.


Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. 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 and come to the king and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. read more.
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. And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give a command concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whoever speaks against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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; 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. Then the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing; go, therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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.


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