| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom. | 1Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. |
| 2So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don't use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. | 2So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time. |
| 3Then go to the king and speak these words to him." And Joab put the words in her mouth. | 3Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth. |
| 4When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, "Help me, Your Majesty!" | 4When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell facedown in homage and said, “Help me, O king!” |
| 5The king asked her, "What is troubling you?" She said, "I am a widow; my husband is dead. | 5“What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead. |
| 6I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. | 6And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. |
| 7Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.' They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth." | 7Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.” |
| 8The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf." | 8“Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.” |
| 9But the woman from Tekoa said to him, "Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt." | 9But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and on my father’s house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless.” |
| 10The king replied, "If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again." | 10“If anyone speaks to you,” said the king, “bring him to me, and he will not trouble you again!” |
| 11She said, "Then let the king invoke the LORD his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed." "As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground." | 11“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.” |
| 12Then the woman said, "Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king." "Speak," he replied. | 12Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied. |
| 13The woman said, "Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? | 13The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son? |
| 14Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him. | 14For surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him. |
| 15"And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, 'I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant's request. | 15Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant. |
| 16Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God's inheritance.' | 16For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’ |
| 17"And now your servant says, 'May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the LORD your God be with you.'" | 17And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you.’ ” |
| 18Then the king said to the woman, "Don't keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you." "Let my lord the king speak," the woman said. | 18Then the king said to the woman, “I am going to ask you something; do not conceal it from me!” “Let my lord the king speak,” she replied. |
| 19The king asked, "Isn't the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered, "As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. | 19So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say. |
| 20Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God--he knows everything that happens in the land." | 20Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that happens in the land.” |
| 21The king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom." | 21Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.” |
| 22Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant's request." | 22Joab fell facedown in homage and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “your servant knows that he has found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted his request.” |
| 23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. | 23So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. |
| 24But the king said, "He must go to his own house; he must not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king. | 24But the king added, “He may return to his house, but he must not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the king. |
| 25In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. | 25Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw. |
| 26Whenever he cut the hair of his head--he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him--he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard. | 26And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard. |
| 27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter's name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman. | 27Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman. |
| 28Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face. | 28Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king. |
| 29Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. | 29Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come. |
| 30Then he said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire. | 30Then Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire!” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. |
| 31Then Joab did go to Absalom's house, and he said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?" | 31Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?” |
| 32Absalom said to Joab, "Look, I sent word to you and said, 'Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!"' Now then, I want to see the king's face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death." | 32“Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.” |
| 33So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom. | 33So Joab went and told the king, and David summoned Absalom, who came to him and bowed facedown before him. Then the king kissed Absalom. |
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