| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom. | 1Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart went out to 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. | 2And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. |
| 3Then go to the king and speak these words to him." And Joab put the words in her mouth. | 3Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So 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 of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, “Save me, O king.” |
| 5The king asked her, "What is troubling you?" She said, "I am a widow; my husband is dead. | 5And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; 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 servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was 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." | 7And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.” |
| 8The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf." | 8Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” |
| 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." | 9And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let 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." | 10The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch 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." | 11Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall 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 let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” |
| 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? | 13And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. |
| 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. | 14We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. |
| 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 I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. |
| 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 servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’ |
| 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 your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. 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 answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” |
| 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. | 19The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. |
| 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." | 20In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.” |
| 21The king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom." | 21Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; 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." | 22And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” |
| 23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. | 23So Joab arose and 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. | 24And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king’s presence. |
| 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 in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. |
| 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 (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. |
| 27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter's name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman. | 27There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman. |
| 28Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face. | 28So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence. |
| 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 Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab 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 he said to his servants, “See, 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. |
| 31Then Joab did go to Absalom's house, and he said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?" | 31Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have 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." | 32Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’” |
| 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. | 33Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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