2 Samuel 14 NIV NLT Parallel

◄ 2 Samuel 14 ►

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1Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom.

1Joab realized how much the king longed to see 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 he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don’t put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for 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 tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Joab told her what to say.

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 approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, “O king! Help me!”

5The king asked her, "What is troubling you?" She said, "I am a widow; my husband is dead.

5“What’s the trouble?” the king asked. “Alas, I am a widow!” she replied. “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.

6My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.

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 rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’ They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the earth.”

8The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf."

8“Leave it to me,” the king told her. “Go home, and I’ll see to it that no one touches him.”

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."

9“Oh, thank you, my lord the king,” the woman from Tekoa replied. “If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.”

10The king replied, "If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again."

10“If anyone objects,” the king said, “bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm 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 swear to me by the LORD your God that you won’t let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he replied, “not a hair on your son’s head will be disturbed!”

12Then the woman said, "Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king." "Speak," he replied.

12“Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said. “Go ahead and speak,” he responded.

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?

13She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your 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.

14All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated 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.

15“I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, ‘Perhaps the king will listen to me

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.'

16and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us.

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.'"

17Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. 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.

18“I must know one thing,” the king replied, “and tell me the truth.” “Yes, my lord the king,” she responded.

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.

19“Did Joab put you up to this?” And the woman replied, “My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me 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."

20He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

21The king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom."

21So the king sent for Joab and told him, “All right, go and 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 bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, “At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!”

23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back 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 gave this order: “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalom did not see the king. Absalom Reconciled to David

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 Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.

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.

26He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!

27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter's name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.

27He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

28Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face.

28Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see 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 Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to 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.

30So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.

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 at his 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."

32And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then 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 told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

New International Version (NIV)

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