¹ Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

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:

³ And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

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.

⁵ And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

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.

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.

⁸ And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

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.

¹⁰ And the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

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.

¹² Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

²¹ And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

²⁷ And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

²⁸ So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

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.

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.

³¹ Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

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.

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.

---

¹ Now Joab ^H3097 the son ^H1121 of Zeruiah ^H6870 perceived ^H3045 that the king's ^H4428 heart ^H3820 was toward Absalom. ^H53

² And Joab ^H3097 sent ^H7971 to Tekoah, ^H8620 and fetched ^H3947 thence a wise ^H2450 woman, ^H802 and said ^H559 unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, ^H56 and put on ^H3847 now mourning ^H60 apparel, ^H899 and anoint ^H5480 not thyself with oil, ^H8081 but be as a woman ^H802 that had a long ^H7227 time ^H3117 mourned ^H56 for the dead: ^H4191

³ And come ^H935 to the king, ^H4428 and speak ^H1696 on this manner ^H1697 unto him. So Joab ^H3097 put ^H7760 the words ^H1697 in her mouth. ^H6310

⁴ And when the woman ^H802 of Tekoah ^H8621 spake ^H559 to the king, ^H4428 she fell ^H5307 on her face ^H639 to the ground, ^H776 and did obeisance, ^H7812 and said, ^H559 Help, ^H3467 O king. ^H4428

⁵ And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, ^H559 I am indeed ^H61 a widow ^H490 woman, ^H802 and mine husband ^H376 is dead. ^H4191

⁶ And thy handmaid ^H8198 had two ^H8147 sons, ^H1121 and they two ^H8147 strove together ^H5327 in the field, ^H7704 and there was none to part ^H5337 them, but the one ^H259 smote ^H5221 the other, ^H259 and slew ^H4191 him.

⁷ And, behold, the whole family ^H4940 is risen ^H6965 against thine handmaid, ^H8198 and they said, ^H559 Deliver ^H5414 him that smote ^H5221 his brother, ^H251 that we may kill ^H4191 him, for the life ^H5315 of his brother ^H251 whom he slew; ^H2026 and we will destroy ^H8045 the heir ^H3423 also: and so they shall quench ^H3518 my coal ^H1513 which is left, ^H7760 and shall not leave ^H7604 to my husband ^H376 neither name ^H8034 nor remainder ^H7611 upon ^H6440 the earth. ^H127

⁸ And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto the woman, ^H802 Go ^H3212 to thine house, ^H1004 and I will give charge ^H6680 concerning thee.

⁹ And the woman ^H802 of Tekoah ^H8621 said ^H559 unto the king, ^H4428 My lord, ^H113 O king, ^H4428 the iniquity ^H5771 be on me, and on my father's ^H1 house: ^H1004 and the king ^H4428 and his throne ^H3678 be guiltless. ^H5355

¹⁰ And the king ^H4428 said, ^H559 Whosoever saith ^H1696 ought unto thee, bring ^H935 him to me, and he shall not touch ^H5060 thee any more. ^H3254

¹¹ Then said ^H559 she, I pray thee, let the king ^H4428 remember ^H2142 the LORD ^H3068 thy God, ^H430 that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers ^H1350 of blood ^H1818 to destroy ^H7843 any more, ^H7235 lest they destroy ^H8045 my son. ^H1121 And he said, ^H559 As the LORD ^H3068 liveth, ^H2416 there shall not one hair ^H8185 of thy son ^H1121 fall ^H5307 to the earth. ^H776

¹² Then the woman ^H802 said, ^H559 Let thine handmaid, ^H8198 I pray thee, speak ^H1696 one word ^H1697 unto my lord ^H113 the king. ^H4428 And he said, ^H559 Say on. ^H1696

¹³ And the woman ^H802 said, ^H559 Wherefore then hast thou thought ^H2803 such a thing against the people ^H5971 of God? ^H430 for the king ^H4428 doth speak ^H1696 this thing ^H1697 as one which is faulty, ^H818 in that the king ^H4428 doth not fetch home again ^H7725 his banished. ^H5080

¹⁴ For we must needs ^H4191 die, ^H4191 and are as water ^H4325 spilt ^H5064 on the ground, ^H776 which cannot be gathered up again; ^H622 neither doth God ^H430 respect ^H5375 any person: ^H5315 yet doth he devise ^H2803 means, ^H4284 that his banished ^H5080 be not expelled ^H5080 from him.

¹⁵ Now therefore that I am come ^H935 to speak ^H1696 of this thing ^H1697 unto my lord ^H113 the king, ^H4428 it is because the people ^H5971 have made me afraid: ^H3372 and thy handmaid ^H8198 said, ^H559 I will now speak ^H1696 unto the king; ^H4428 it may be that the king ^H4428 will perform ^H6213 the request ^H1697 of his handmaid. ^H519

¹⁶ For the king ^H4428 will hear, ^H8085 to deliver ^H5337 his handmaid ^H519 out of the hand ^H3709 of the man ^H376 that would destroy ^H8045 me and my son ^H1121 together ^H3162 out of the inheritance ^H5159 of God. ^H430

¹⁷ Then thine handmaid ^H8198 said, ^H559 The word ^H1697 of my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 shall now be comfortable: ^H4496 for as an angel ^H4397 of God, ^H430 so is my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 to discern ^H8085 good ^H2896 and bad: ^H7451 therefore the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 will be with thee.

¹⁸ Then the king ^H4428 answered ^H6030 and said ^H559 unto the woman, ^H802 Hide ^H3582 not from me, I pray thee, the thing ^H1697 that I shall ask ^H7592 thee. And the woman ^H802 said, ^H559 Let my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 now speak. ^H1696

¹⁹ And the king ^H4428 said, ^H559 Is not the hand ^H3027 of Joab ^H3097 with thee in all this? And the woman ^H802 answered ^H6030 and said, ^H559 As thy soul ^H5315 liveth, ^H2416 my lord ^H113 the king, ^H4428 none ^H376 can ^H786 turn to the right hand ^H3231 or to the left ^H8041 from ought that my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 hath spoken: ^H1696 for thy servant ^H5650 Joab, ^H3097 he bade ^H6680 me, and he put ^H7760 all these words ^H1697 in the mouth ^H6310 of thine handmaid: ^H8198

²⁰ To ^H5668 fetch about ^H5437 this form ^H6440 of speech ^H1697 hath thy servant ^H5650 Joab ^H3097 done ^H6213 this thing: ^H1697 and my lord ^H113 is wise, ^H2450 according to the wisdom ^H2451 of an angel ^H4397 of God, ^H430 to know ^H3045 all things that are in the earth. ^H776

²¹ And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto Joab, ^H3097 Behold now, I have done ^H6213 this thing: ^H1697 go ^H3212 therefore, bring ^H7725 the young man ^H5288 Absalom ^H53 again. ^H7725

²² And Joab ^H3097 fell ^H5307 to the ground ^H776 on his face, ^H6440 and bowed ^H7812 himself, and thanked ^H1288 the king: ^H4428 and Joab ^H3097 said, ^H559 To day ^H3117 thy servant ^H5650 knoweth ^H3045 that I have found ^H4672 grace ^H2580 in thy sight, ^H5869 my lord, ^H113 O king, ^H4428 in that the king ^H4428 hath fulfilled ^H6213 the request ^H1697 of his servant. ^H5650

²³ So Joab ^H3097 arose ^H6965 and went ^H3212 to Geshur, ^H1650 and brought ^H935 Absalom ^H53 to Jerusalem. ^H3389

²⁴ And the king ^H4428 said, ^H559 Let him turn ^H5437 to his own house, ^H1004 and let him not see ^H7200 my face. ^H6440 So Absalom ^H53 returned ^H5437 to his own house, ^H1004 and saw ^H7200 not the king's ^H4428 face. ^H6440

²⁵ But in all Israel ^H3478 there was none ^H376 to be so much ^H3966 praised ^H1984 as Absalom ^H53 for his beauty: ^H3303 from the sole ^H3709 of his foot ^H7272 even to the crown of his head ^H6936 there was no blemish ^H3971 in him.

²⁶ And when he polled ^H1548 his head, ^H7218 (for it was at every year's ^{H3117 H3117} end ^H7093 that he polled ^H1548 it: because the hair was heavy ^H3513 on him, therefore he polled ^H1548 it:) he weighed ^H8254 the hair ^H8181 of his head ^H7218 at two hundred ^H3967 shekels ^H8255 after the king's ^H4428 weight. ^H68

²⁷ And unto Absalom ^H53 there were born ^H3205 three ^H7969 sons, ^H1121 and one ^H259 daughter, ^H1323 whose name ^H8034 was Tamar: ^H8559 she was a woman ^H802 of a fair ^H3303 countenance. ^H4758

²⁸ So Absalom ^H53 dwelt ^H3427 two full ^H3117 years ^H8141 in Jerusalem, ^H3389 and saw ^H7200 not the king's ^H4428 face. ^H6440

²⁹ Therefore Absalom ^H53 sent ^H7971 for Joab, ^H3097 to have sent ^H7971 him to the king; ^H4428 but he would ^H14 not come ^H935 to him: and when he sent again ^H7971 the second time, ^H8145 he would ^H14 not come. ^H935

³⁰ Therefore he said ^H559 unto his servants, ^H5650 See, ^H7200 Joab's ^H3097 field ^H2513 is near ^H413 mine, ^H3027 and he hath barley ^H8184 there; go ^H3212 and set ^H3341 it on fire. ^H784 And Absalom's ^H53 servants ^H5650 set ^H3341 the field ^H2513 on fire. ^H784

³¹ Then Joab ^H3097 arose, ^H6965 and came ^H935 to Absalom ^H53 unto his house, ^H1004 and said ^H559 unto him, Wherefore have thy servants ^H5650 set ^H3341 my field ^H2513 on fire? ^H784

³² And Absalom ^H53 answered ^H559 Joab, ^H3097 Behold, I sent ^H7971 unto thee, saying, ^H559 Come ^H935 hither, that I may send ^H7971 thee to the king, ^H4428 to say, ^H559 Wherefore am I come ^H935 from Geshur? ^H1650 it had been good ^H2896 for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see ^H7200 the king's ^H4428 face; ^H6440 and if there be ^H3426 any iniquity ^H5771 in me, let him kill ^H4191 me.

³³ So Joab ^H3097 came ^H935 to the king, ^H4428 and told ^H5046 him: and when he had called ^H7121 for Absalom, ^H53 he came ^H935 to the king, ^H4428 and bowed ^H7812 himself on his face ^H639 to the ground ^H776 before ^H6440 the king: ^H4428 and the king ^H4428 kissed ^H5401 Absalom. ^H53

---

¹ Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

² And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead:

³ and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴ And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

⁵ And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

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 killed him.

⁷ And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.

⁸ And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

¹¹ Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

¹² Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

¹³ And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one.

¹⁴ For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.

¹⁵ Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word 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 servant.

¹⁶ For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

¹⁷ Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Jehovah thy God be with thee.

¹⁸ Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

¹⁹ And the king said, Is 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 aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;

²⁰ to change the face of the matter 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.

²¹ And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.

²² And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of his servant.

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

²⁴ And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

²⁵ Now 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.

²⁶ And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

²⁷ And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

²⁸ And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the king's face.

²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

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.

³¹ Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

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 were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.

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.

---

¹ And Joab son of Zeruial knoweth that the heart of the king `is' on Absalom,

² and Joab sendeth to Tekoah, and taketh thence a wise woman, and saith unto her, `Feign thyself a mourner, I pray thee, and put on, I pray thee, garments of mourning, and anoint not thyself with oil, and thou hast been as a woman these many days mourning for the dead,

³ and thou hast gone unto the king, and spoken unto him, according to this word;' and Joab putteth the words into her mouth.

⁴ And the woman of Tekoah speaketh unto the king, and falleth on her face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith, `Save, O king.'

⁵ And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee?' and she saith, `Truly a widow woman `am' I, and my husband dieth,

⁶ and thy maid-servant hath two sons; and they strive both of them in a field, and there is no deliverer between them, and the one smiteth the other, and putteth him to death;

⁷ and lo, the whole family hath risen against thy maid-servant, and say, Give up him who smiteth his brother, and we put him to death for the life of his brother whom he hath slain, and we destroy also the heir; and they have quenched my coal which is left -- so as not to set to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the ground.'

⁸ And the king saith unto the woman, `Go to thine house, and I give charge concerning thee.'

⁹ And the woman of Tekoah saith unto the king, `On me, my lord, O king, `is' the iniquity, and on the house of my father; and the king and his throne `are' innocent.'

¹⁰ And the king saith, `He who speaketh `aught' unto thee, and thou hast brought him unto me, then he doth not add any more to come against thee.'

¹¹ And she saith, `Let, I pray thee, the king remember by Jehovah thy God, that the redeemer of blood add not to destroy, and they destroy not my son;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth; if there doth fall of the hair of thy son to the earth.'

¹² And the woman saith, `Let, I pray thee, thy maid-servant speak unto my lord the king a word;' and he saith, `Speak.'

¹³ And the woman saith, `And why hast thou thought thus concerning the people of God? yea, the king is speaking this thing as a guilty one, in that the king hath not brought back his outcast;

¹⁴ for we do surely die, and `are' as water which is running down to the earth, which is not gathered, and God doth not accept a person, and hath devised devices in that the outcast is not outcast by Him.

¹⁵ `And now that I have come to speak unto the king my lord this word, `it is' because the people made me afraid, and thy maid-servant saith, Let me speak, I pray thee, unto the king; it may be the king doth do the word of his handmaid,

¹⁶ for the king doth hearken to deliver his handmaid out of the paw of the man `seeking' to destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God,

¹⁷ and thy maid-servant saith, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for ease; for as a messenger of God so `is' my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil; and Jehovah thy God is with thee.'

¹⁸ And the king answereth and saith unto the woman, `Do not, I pray thee, hide from me the thing that I am asking thee;' and the woman saith, `Let, I pray thee, my lord the king speak.'

¹⁹ And the king saith, `Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this?' And the woman answereth and saith, `Thy soul liveth, my lord, O king, none `doth turn' to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab he commanded me, and he put in the mouth of thy maid-servant all these words;

²⁰ in order to bring round the appearance of the thing hath thy servant Joab done this thing, and my lord `is' wise, according to the wisdom of a messenger of God, to know all that `is' in the land.'

²¹ And the king saith unto Joab, `Lo, I pray thee, thou hast done this thing; and go, bring back the young man Absalom.'

²² And Joab falleth on his face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and blesseth the king, and Joab saith, `To-day hath thy servant known that I have found grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king, in that the king hath done the word of his servant.'

²³ And Joab riseth and goeth to Geshur, and bringeth in Absalom to Jerusalem,

²⁴ and the king saith, `Let him turn round unto his house, and my face he doth not see.' And Absalom turneth round unto his house, and the face of the king he hath not seen.

²⁵ And like Absalom there was no man `so' fair in all Israel, to praise greatly; from the sole of his foot even unto his crown there was no blemish in him;

²⁶ and in his polling his head -- and it hath been at the end of year by year that he polleth `it', for it `is' heavy on him, and he hath polled it -- he hath even weighed out the hair of his head -- two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

²⁷ And there are born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter, and her name `is' Tamar; she was a woman of a fair appearance.

²⁸ And Absalom dwelleth in Jerusalem two years of days, and the face of the king he hath not seen;

²⁹ and Absalom sendeth unto Joab, to send him unto the king, and he hath not been willing to come unto him; and he sendeth again a second time, and he hath not been willing to come.

³⁰ And he saith unto his servants, `See, the portion of Joab `is' by the side of mine, and he hath barley there; go, and burn it with fire;' and the servants of Absalom burn the portion with fire.

³¹ And Joab riseth and cometh unto Absalom in the house, and saith unto him, `Why have thy servants burned the portion that I have with fire?'

³² And Absalom saith unto Joab, `Lo, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, and I send thee unto the king to say, Why have I come in from Geshur? -- good for me while I `am' there -- and now, let me see the king's face, and if there is in me iniquity then thou hast put me to death.'

³³ And Joab cometh unto the king, and declareth `it' to him, and he calleth unto Absalom, and he cometh unto the king, and boweth himself to him, on his face, to the earth, before the king, and the king giveth a kiss to Absalom.

---

¹ And Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

² And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments, I pray, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead;

³ and come to the king, and speak after this manner to him. And Joab put the words into her mouth.

⁴ And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Save, O king!

⁵ And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she said, I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead.

⁶ And thy bondmaid 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.

⁷ And behold, the whole family is risen against thy bondmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also: so they will quench my coal which is left, and will not leave to my husband a name or remnant on the earth.

⁸ And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

⁹ And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, Upon me, my lord, O king, be the iniquity, and upon my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.

¹⁰ And the king said, Whoever speaks to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

¹¹ Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they cut off my son. And he said, [As] Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

¹² And the woman said, Let thy bondmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Speak.

¹³ And the woman said, Why then hast thou thought such a thing against God's people? and the king in saying this thing, is as one guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.

¹⁴ For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; and God has not taken away his life, but devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him.

¹⁵ And now that I am come to speak of this thing to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy bondmaid said, I will now speak to the king; perhaps the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

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.

¹⁷ And thy bondmaid said, Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and Jehovah thy God will be with thee.

¹⁸ And the king answered and said to 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.

¹⁹ And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, [As] thy soul liveth, my lord, O king, there is no turning to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king has spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words into the mouth of thy bondmaid:

²⁰ in order to turn the appearance of the thing has thy servant Joab done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.

²¹ And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: so go, bring back the young man Absalom.

²² And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and blessed the king; and Joab said, To-day thy servant knows that I have found favour in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.

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

²⁴ And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. And Absalom withdrew to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

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.

²⁶ And when he shaved his head (for it was at every year's end that he shaved it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

²⁷ And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful countenance.

²⁸ So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and 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; and he sent again the second time, but he would not come.

³⁰ Then he said to his servants, See, Joab's allotment is near mine and he has barley there: go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the allotment on fire.

³¹ Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to [his] house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my allotment on fire?

³² And Absalom said to Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur? it would have been better for me to be there still. And now let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him slay me.

³³ And Joab came to the king, and told him. And he called Absalom, and he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

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¹ Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

² Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, Please, and don't anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has a long time mourned for the dead:

³ and go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴ When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

⁵ The king said to her, What ails you? She answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁶ Your handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one struck the other, and killed him.

⁷ Behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.

⁸ The king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give charge concerning you.

⁹ The woman of Tekoa said to 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.

¹⁰ The king said, Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more.

¹¹ Then said she, Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. He said, As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.

¹² Then the woman said, Please let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king. He said, Say on.

¹³ The woman said, Why then have you devised 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 home again his banished one.

¹⁴ For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which can't be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

¹⁵ Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.

¹⁶ For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

¹⁷ Then your handmaid said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh your God be with you.

¹⁸ Then the king answered the woman, Please don't hide anything from me that I shall ask you. The woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

¹⁹ The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;

²⁰ to change the face of the matter has your 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.

²¹ The king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.

²² Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.

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

²⁴ The king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and didn't see the king's face.

²⁵ Now 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.

²⁶ When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

²⁷ To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful face.

²⁸ Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem; and he didn't see the king's face.

²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

³⁰ Therefore he said to his servants, Behold, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

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

³² Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to you, saying, Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.

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.

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¹ Now it was clear to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, that the king's heart was turning to Absalom.

² And Joab sent to Tekoa and got from there a wise woman, and said to her, Now make yourself seem like one given up to grief, and put on the clothing of sorrow, not using any sweet oil for your body, but looking like one who for a long time has been weeping for the dead:

³ And come to the king and say these words to him. So Joab gave her words to say.

⁴ And the woman of Tekoa came to the king, and falling on her face, gave him honour and said, Give me help, O king.

⁵ And the king said to her, What is your trouble? And her answer was, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁶ And I had two sons, and the two of them had a fight in the field, and there was no one to come between them, and one with a blow put the other to death.

⁷ And now all the family is turned against me, your servant, saying, Give up him who was the cause of his brother's death, so that we may put him to death in payment for the life of his brother, whose life he took; and we will put an end to the one who will get the heritage: so they will put out my last burning coal, and my husband will have no name or offspring on the face of the earth.

⁸ And the king said to the woman, Go to your house and I will give orders about this.

⁹ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, may the sin be on me and on my family, and may the king and the seat of his kingdom be clear of sin!

¹⁰ And the king said, If anyone says anything to you, make him come to me, and he will do you no more damage.

¹¹ Then she said, Let the king keep in mind the Lord your God, so that he who gives punishment for blood may be kept back from further destruction and that no one may send death on my son. And he said, By the living Lord, not a hair of your son's head will come to the earth.

¹² Then the woman said, Will the king let his servant say one word more? And he said, Say on.

¹³ And the woman said, Why have you had such a thought about the people of God? (for in saying these very words the king has put himself in the wrong because he has not taken back the one whom he sent far away.)

¹⁴ For death comes to us all, and we are like water drained out on the earth, which it is not possible to take up again; and God will not take away the life of the man whose purpose is that he who has been sent away may not be completely cut off from him.

¹⁵ And now it is my fear of the people which has made me come to say these words to my lord the king: and your servant said, I will put my cause before the king, and it may be that he will give effect to my request.

¹⁶ For the king will give ear, and take his servant out of the power of the man whose purpose is the destruction of me and my son together from the heritage of God.

¹⁷ Then your servant said, May the word of my lord the king give me peace! for my lord the king is as the angel of God in his hearing of good and bad: and may the Lord your God be with you!

¹⁸ Then the king said to the woman, Now give me an answer to the question I am going to put to you; keep nothing back. And the woman said, Let my lord the king say on.

¹⁹ And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman in answer said, By the life of your soul, my lord the king, it is not possible for anyone to go to the right hand or to the left from anything said by the king: your servant Joab gave me orders, and put all these words in my mouth:

²⁰ This he did, hoping that the face of this business might be changed: and my lord is wise, with the wisdom of the angel of God, having knowledge of everything on earth.

²¹ And the king said to Joab, See now, I will do this thing: go then and Come back with the young man Absalom.

²² Then Joab, falling down on his face on the earth, gave the king honour and blessing; and Joab said, Today it is clear to your servant that I have grace in your eyes, my lord king, because the king has given effect to the request of his servant.

²³ So Joab got up and went to Geshur and came back again to Jerusalem with Absalom.

²⁴ And the king said, Let him go to his house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom went back to his house and did not see the face of the king.

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was no one so greatly to be praised for his beautiful form as Absalom: from his feet to the crown of his head he was completely beautiful.

²⁶ And when he had his hair cut, (which he did at the end of every year, because of the weight of his hair;) the weight of the hair was two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

²⁷ And Absalom was the father of three sons and of one daughter named Tamar, who was very beautiful.

²⁸ For two full years Absalom was living in Jerusalem without ever seeing the face of the king.

²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

³⁰ So he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley in it; go and put it on fire. And Absalom's servants put the field on fire.

³¹ Then Joab came to Absalom in his house and said to him, Why have your servants put my field on fire?

³² And Absalom's answer was, See, I sent to you saying, Come here, so that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come back from Geshur? it would be better for me to be there still: let me now see the king's face, and if there is any sin in me, let him put me to death.

³³ So Joab went to the king and said these words to him: and when the king had sent for him, Absalom came, and went down on his face on the earth before the king: and the king gave him a kiss.