New King James Version

New Living Translation

1So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom.

1Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom.

2And 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.

2So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don’t put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.

3Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

3Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Joab told her what to say.

4And 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!”

4When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, “O king! Help me!”

5Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, “Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead.

5“What’s the trouble?” the king asked. “Alas, I am a widow!” she replied. “My husband is dead.

6Now 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.

6My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.

7And 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.”

7Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’ They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the earth.”

8Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

8“Leave it to me,” the king told her. “Go home, and I’ll see to it that no one touches him.”

9And 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.”

9“Oh, thank you, my lord the king,” the woman from Tekoa replied. “If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.”

10So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

10“If anyone objects,” the king said, “bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm you again!”

11Then 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.”

11Then she said, “Please swear to me by the LORD your God that you won’t let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he replied, “not a hair on your son’s head will be disturbed!”

12Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”

12“Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said. “Go ahead and speak,” he responded.

13So 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.

13She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son.

14For 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.

14All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

15Now 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.

15“I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, ‘Perhaps the king will listen to me

16For 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.’

16and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us.

17Your 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.’ ”

17Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the LORD your God be with you.”

18Then 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.”

18“I must know one thing,” the king replied, “and tell me the truth.” “Yes, my lord the king,” she responded.

19So 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.

19“Did Joab put you up to this?” And the woman replied, “My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say.

20To 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.”

20He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

21And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

21So the king sent for Joab and told him, “All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom.”

22Then 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.”

22Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, “At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!”

23So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

24And 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.

24But the king gave this order: “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalom did not see the king. Absalom Reconciled to David

25Now 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.

25Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.

26And 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.

26He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!

27To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

27He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

28And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.

28Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king.

29Therefore 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.

29Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come.

30So 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.

30So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.

31Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

31Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

32And 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.”

32And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”

33So 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.

33So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.