Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that ^athe king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to ^aTekoa and ¹brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not ^banoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; 3 then go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put ^athe words in her mouth.

4 Now when the woman of Tekoa ¹spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and ^aprostrated herself and said, “^bHelp, O king.” 5 The king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she ¹answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. 6 Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no ¹one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now behold, ^athe 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, ^band destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to ¹leave my husband neither name nor remnant 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.” 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, ^athe iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but ^bthe 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.” 11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, ^aso that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “^bAs the LORD lives, not one hair 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.” 13 The woman said, “^aWhy 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 ^bhis banished one. 14 For ^awe will surely die and are ^blike water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but plans ¹ways so that ^cthe banished one will not be cast out from him. 15 Now ¹the 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 ²request of his maidservant. 16 For the king will hear ¹and deliver his maidservant from the ²hand of the man who would destroy ³both me and my son from ^athe inheritance of God.’ 17 Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be ¹comforting, for as ^athe angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And 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.” 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 ^ayour servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who 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, ^alike the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, ^aI will surely do this thing; go therefore, 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 ¹request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to ^aGeshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However the king said, “Let him turn to ^ahis own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; ^afrom the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. 26 When he ^acut 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. 27 ^aTo Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was ^bTamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, ^aand did not see 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. 30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, ^aJoab’s ¹field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the ²field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my ¹field on fire?” 32 Absalom ¹answered 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, ^aand if there is iniquity 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 ^athe king kissed Absalom.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that ^athe king’s heart was drawn toward Absalom. 2 So Joab sent a messenger to ^aTekoa and ¹brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not ^banoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days. 3 Then go to the king and speak to him in this way.” So Joab put ^athe words in her mouth.

4 Now when the woman of Tekoa ¹spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and ^aprostrated herself, and said, “^bHelp, O king!” 5 And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she ¹answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. 6 And your servant had two sons, but the two of them fought in the field, and there was no ¹one to save ²them from each other, so one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now behold, ^athe entire family has risen against your servant, and they have said, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, ^band eliminate the heir as well.’ So they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to ¹leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your home, and I will issue orders concerning you.” 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, the king, ^athe guilt is on me and my father’s house, but ^bthe 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.” 11 Then she said, “May the king please remember the LORD your God, ^aso that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “^bAs the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13 The woman said, “^aWhy then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back ^bhis banished one. 14 For ^awe will surely die and are ^blike water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. Yet God does not take away life, but makes plans so that ^cthe banished one will not be cast out from Him. 15 Now then, ¹the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the ²request of his slave. 16 For the king will listen, to save his slave from the ¹hand of the man who would eliminate ²both me and my son from ^athe inheritance of God.’ 17 Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be ¹comforting, for as ^athe angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And 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.” 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 ^ayour servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, ^alike the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, ^aI ¹will certainly do this thing; go then, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And 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, my lord the king, in that the king has performed the ¹request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to ^aGeshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However, the king said, “He shall return to ^ahis own house, but he shall not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; ^afrom the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no impairment in him. 26 And when he ^acut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at ¹two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. 27 And ^ato Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was ^bTamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, ^ayet he did not see 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 word again a second time, but he would not come. 30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, ^aJoab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the plot on fire. 31 Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my plot on fire?” 32 Absalom ¹answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for 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 still to be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, ^aand if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.” 33 So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself ¹with his face to the ground before the king; and ^athe king kissed Absalom.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that ^athe king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to ^aTekoa and ¹brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not ^banoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; 3 then you shall go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put ^athe words in her mouth.

4 So the woman of Tekoa ¹spoke to the king, and she fell on her ²face to the ground and ^aprostrated herself and said, “^bSave, O king.” 5 And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she ¹answered, “Truly I am a widow; my husband has died. 6 And your servant-woman had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no one to deliver between them, so one struck the other and put him to death. 7 And behold, ^athe whole family has risen against your servant-woman, 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, ^band destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which remains, so as to ¹leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.” 9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, ^athe iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but ^bthe 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.” 11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, ^aso that the avenger of blood will not continue to bring about ruin, so that they would not destroy my son.” And he said, “^bAs Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant-woman speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13 Then the woman said, “^aWhy then have you thought up 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 ^bhis banished one. 14 For ^awe will surely die and are ^blike water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but thinks up ¹ways so that ^cthe banished one will not be cast out from him. 15 So now, ¹the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant-woman said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the word of his maidservant. 16 For the king will listen ¹and deliver his maidservant from the ²hand of the man who would destroy ³both me and my son from ^athe inheritance of God.’ 17 Then your servant-woman said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be a resting place, for as ^athe angel of God, so is my lord the king to listen with discernment through the good and evil. And may Yahweh 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.” 19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “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 ^ayour servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant-woman; 20 in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, ^alike the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, ^aI have done this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And 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 word of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to ^aGeshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However the king said, “Let him turn to ^ahis own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; ^afrom the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no defect in him. 26 When he ^ashaved the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it, for it was heavy on him so he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at ¹200 shekels by the king’s weight. 27 ^aAnd to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was ^bTamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, ^aand did not see the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come. 30 Therefore he said to his servants, “See, ^aJoab’s portion of land is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the portion of land on fire. 31 Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my portion of land on fire?” 32 And Absalom ¹answered 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.”’ So now, let me see the king’s face, ^aand if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” 33 So Joab came to the king and told him, and he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his ¹face to the ground before the king, and ^athe king kissed Absalom.