2 Samuel 14

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

Joab, Zeruiah's son, could feel that the king's heart was leaning towards Absalom.

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:

Joab reached out to Tekoah, bringing back a wise woman. He pleaded with her, "Please, pretend to be a grieving widow. Dress in mourning clothes, don't use any perfumes, act as if you've been mourning a loss for a long time."

And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

Joab guided her, "Approach the king, express your feelings like this." He filled her heart with the right words.

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.

When the woman from Tekoah approached the king, she collapsed to the ground in deep respect, pleading, "Please, O king, help me."

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

The king looked at her, concern etching his face, "What troubles you?" She replied, her voice trembling with sorrow, "I am a widow, my husband is no longer with us."

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.

Your servant had two sons who fought fiercely in the open field. With no one to separate them, one tragically killed the other.

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.

Look, my entire family has turned against me. They demand that I hand over the one who killed his own brother, so they can take his life in return. They even plan to eliminate the rightful heir. This will extinguish the last spark of hope I have left, leaving my husband without a legacy or a trace on this earth.

And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

With a gentle voice, the king assured the woman, "Return home, I promise to protect you."

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.

The woman from Tekoah pleaded with the king, "Let the blame fall on me and my family, my lord. May you and your reign remain innocent."

And the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

The king declared, "If anyone troubles you, bring them to me. They won't harm you again."

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.

She pleaded, "Please, remember your faith in God, King, and don't let those seeking vengeance harm us anymore, especially my son." He assured her, "By God's life, not a single hair from your son's head will be harmed."

Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

The woman pleaded, "Allow me, your servant, to share a word with you, my king." He responded, "Speak freely."

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.

The woman questioned, "Then why have you planned such a thing against God's people? In saying this, the king condemns himself, for he has not brought home his own banished son.

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.

We all must face death, like water spilled that can't be collected again. God doesn't favor anyone, yet he always finds a way to keep those he's distanced close to him.

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.

I've come to discuss this matter with you, my king, because the people's actions have filled me with fear. As your servant, I thought, 'I must speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant my request.'

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.

The king will surely listen, saving me, his humble servant, and my son from the man who seeks to harm us and rob us of God's promised blessings.

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.

Your servant said, your words will bring comfort, my king. Like a divine angel, you can tell right from wrong. So, God will always be with you.

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.

The king pleaded with the woman, "Please, don't hide anything from me when I ask you." The woman responded, "Go ahead, my king, ask your question."

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:

The king questioned, "Isn't Joab behind all this?" The woman replied, "As sure as you're alive, my king, no one can deviate from your words. Indeed, it was Joab who instructed me and gave me these words to speak."

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.

Your servant Joab orchestrated this, using such eloquent words. You, my lord, possess wisdom akin to a divine angel, understanding everything on earth.

And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

With a heavy heart, the king told Joab, "I've made my decision. Please, bring my son Absalom back to me."

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.

Overwhelmed, Joab collapsed, his face touching the earth. He humbly bowed before the king, gratitude flooding him. "Today," Joab confessed, "I truly feel your favor, my lord, my king. You've granted my request, showing me your grace."

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

With a determined heart, Joab set off for Geshur. He returned, bringing Absalom back to the heart of Jerusalem.

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.

The king commanded, "Let him return home, he is not to see me." So Absalom, with a heavy heart, went back to his home and did not see the king.

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.

In all of Israel, no one was as admired as Absalom for his stunning looks. From head to toe, he was flawless.

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.

Every year, he would cut his hair because it grew so heavy. After the cut, his hair weighed as much as two hundred shekels, according to the king's scale.

And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

Absalom was blessed with three sons and a beautiful daughter named Tamar, whose beauty was truly captivating.

So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.

Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two long years, yet never caught a glimpse of the king.

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.

Absalom desperately called for Joab, hoping to send him to the king. But Joab stubbornly refused, not once, but twice.

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.

So he told his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine, full of barley. Go, ignite it." And so, Absalom's servants set the field ablaze.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

Joab, filled with confusion and anger, confronted Absalom at his home. "Why," he demanded, "did your men burn down my field?"

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.

Absalom replied to Joab with frustration, "Look, I called you here so you could take my message to the king. I want to know why I was brought back from Geshur. I was better off there. Now, I demand to see the king. If I've done something wrong, then let him end my life."

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.

Joab approached the king, sharing his news. The king then summoned Absalom. With deep respect, Absalom came, bowing low before the king. Touched, the king leaned in, planting a kiss on Absalom.