The wise woman of Tekoa
Joab son of Zeruiah realised that the king's heart was turning toward Absalom. So Joab sent to Tekoa for a wise woman. He told her, Pretend you're in mourning. Put on mourning clothes and don't use any perfume. Act like a woman who has been grieving for the dead for a long time. Then go to the king and say this to him. And Joab told her exactly what to say. When the woman from Tekoa came before the king, she fell face down, bowed and cried, Help me, Your Majesty. The king asked, What's wrong? She answered, I'm a widow. My husband is dead. Your servant had two sons. They fought each other out in the field. There was no one there to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. Now the whole family has turned on me. They're saying, Hand over the one who killed his brother so we can put him to death for his brother's life. But that would wipe out the heir as well. They'd snuff out the only ember I have left and leave my husband neither name nor descendant on the earth. The king told her, Go home. I'll issue orders about your case. The woman of Tekoa said, My lord the king, let any guilt fall on me and my father's house. May the king and his throne be innocent. The king said, If anyone threatens you, bring him to me and he won't bother you again. She said, Then please let the king call on the Lord your God to stop the avenger of blood from destroying my son. The king said, As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground. The woman said, Please let your servant say one more thing to my lord the king. He answered, Go on. She said, Then why have you acted this way against God's people? By saying what you've just said, the king condemns himself, because he has not brought back his own banished son. We all have to die. We're like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered up again. But God does not simply sweep life away; he devises ways to bring the banished back to himself. I've come to say this to my lord the king because the people made me afraid. I thought, I'll speak to the king. Perhaps he'll grant his servant's request. Perhaps the king will listen and rescue his servant from the man who wants to destroy both me and my son from God's inheritance. Your servant thought, May my lord the king's word give me peace, because my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you. Then the king said to the woman, Don't hide anything from me when I ask you something. She answered, Let my lord the king speak. The king asked, Is Joab behind all this? The woman answered, As surely as you live, my lord the king, there's no getting around anything you've said. Yes, your servant Joab instructed me and put all these words in my mouth. Your servant Joab did this to change the way you looked at the matter. But my lord is wise like an angel of God and understands what is happening throughout the land.
Now Joab son of Zeruiah understood the king's heart was towards Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched a wise woman from there and said to her: Make out you're a mourner now, please, and put on mourning clothes, and don't anoint yourself with oil. But be like a woman who's mourned a long time for the dead. And come to the king and speak to him like this. So Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and bowed down: Help, king. And the king said to her: What's the matter with you? And she answered: I'm truly a widow woman, and my husband is dead. And your servant had two sons. And the two of them fought together in the field, and there was nobody to part them, and the one struck the other and killed him. And look — the whole family has got up against your servant: Hand over the one who struck his brother, so we can kill him for the life of his brother he killed. And we'll wreck the heir too. So they'll put out my coal that's left, and won't leave my husband a name or anyone left on the earth. And the king said to the woman: Go to your house, and I'll give orders about you. And the woman of Tekoa said to the king: My lord king, the wrongdoing be on me and on my father's house. And the king and his throne be guiltless. And the king said: Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he won't touch you any more. Then she said: Please let the king remember the Lord your God, so you won't let the ones who want blood back wreck any more, so they don't wreck my son. And he said: As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the earth. Then the woman said: Let your servant speak one word to my lord the king, please. And he said: Say on. And the woman said: So why have you thought a thing like this against the people of God? Because the king speaks this thing as one who's at fault, in that the king doesn't fetch home his banished one again. Because we have to die and are like water spilt on the ground that can't be gathered up again. But God doesn't take away a life, but works out ways so his banished one isn't thrown out from him. So now I've come to speak this thing to my lord the king, because the people have made me frightened. And your servant said: I'll speak to the king now. Maybe the king will do what his servant asks. Because the king will hear, to rescue his servant out of the hand of the man who'd wreck me and my son together out of the inheritance of God. Then your servant said: The word of my lord the king will be comforting now. Because my lord the king is like an angel of God, to tell good and bad. So the Lord your God be with you. Then the king answered and said to the woman: Don't hide from me, please, the thing I'll ask you. And the woman said: Let my lord the king speak now. And the king said: Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered: As surely as your soul lives, my lord king, nobody can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my lord the king has spoken. Because your servant Joab ordered me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant. Your servant Joab did this thing to change the way the matter looked. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know everything that's in the earth.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward 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: And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. 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. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead. 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. 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. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee. 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. And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 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. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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: 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.
Joab son of Zeruiah realised that the king's heart was turning toward Absalom.
Now Joab son of Zeruiah understood the king's heart was towards Absalom.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
So Joab sent to Tekoa for a wise woman. He told her, Pretend you're in mourning. Put on mourning clothes and don't use any perfume. Act like a woman who has been grieving for the dead for a long time.
And Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched a wise woman from there and said to her: Make out you're a mourner now, please, and put on mourning clothes, and don't anoint yourself with oil. But be like a woman who's mourned a long time for the dead.
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:
Then go to the king and say this to him. And Joab told her exactly what to say.
And come to the king and speak to him like this. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
When the woman from Tekoa came before the king, she fell face down, bowed and cried, Help me, Your Majesty.
And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and bowed down: Help, king.
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.
The king asked, What's wrong? She answered, I'm a widow. My husband is dead.
And the king said to her: What's the matter with you? And she answered: I'm truly a widow woman, and my husband is dead.
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
Your servant had two sons. They fought each other out in the field. There was no one there to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
And your servant had two sons. And the two of them fought together in the field, and there was nobody to part them, and the one struck the other and killed him.
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.
Now the whole family has turned on me. They're saying, Hand over the one who killed his brother so we can put him to death for his brother's life. But that would wipe out the heir as well. They'd snuff out the only ember I have left and leave my husband neither name nor descendant on the earth.
And look — the whole family has got up against your servant: Hand over the one who struck his brother, so we can kill him for the life of his brother he killed. And we'll wreck the heir too. So they'll put out my coal that's left, and won't leave my husband a name or anyone left on the earth.
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.
The king told her, Go home. I'll issue orders about your case.
And the king said to the woman: Go to your house, and I'll give orders about you.
And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
The woman of Tekoa said, My lord the king, let any guilt fall on me and my father's house. May the king and his throne be innocent.
And the woman of Tekoa said to the king: My lord king, the wrongdoing be on me and on my father's house. And the king and his throne be guiltless.
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 king said, If anyone threatens you, bring him to me and he won't bother you again.
And the king said: Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he won't touch you any more.
And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
She said, Then please let the king call on the Lord your God to stop the avenger of blood from destroying my son. The king said, As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground.
Then she said: Please let the king remember the Lord your God, so you won't let the ones who want blood back wreck any more, so they don't wreck my son. And he said: As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the earth.
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.
The woman said, Please let your servant say one more thing to my lord the king. He answered, Go on.
Then the woman said: Let your servant speak one word to my lord the king, please. And he said: Say on.
Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
She said, Then why have you acted this way against God's people? By saying what you've just said, the king condemns himself, because he has not brought back his own banished son.
And the woman said: So why have you thought a thing like this against the people of God? Because the king speaks this thing as one who's at fault, in that the king doesn't fetch home his banished one again.
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.
We all have to die. We're like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered up again. But God does not simply sweep life away; he devises ways to bring the banished back to himself.
Because we have to die and are like water spilt on the ground that can't be gathered up again. But God doesn't take away a life, but works out ways so his banished one isn't thrown out from him.
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.
I've come to say this to my lord the king because the people made me afraid. I thought, I'll speak to the king. Perhaps he'll grant his servant's request.
So now I've come to speak this thing to my lord the king, because the people have made me frightened. And your servant said: I'll speak to the king now. Maybe the king will do what his servant asks.
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.
Perhaps the king will listen and rescue his servant from the man who wants to destroy both me and my son from God's inheritance.
Because the king will hear, to rescue his servant out of the hand of the man who'd wreck me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
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.
Your servant thought, May my lord the king's word give me peace, because my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.
Then your servant said: The word of my lord the king will be comforting now. Because my lord the king is like an angel of God, to tell good and bad. So the Lord your God be with you.
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.
Then the king said to the woman, Don't hide anything from me when I ask you something. She answered, Let my lord the king speak.
Then the king answered and said to the woman: Don't hide from me, please, the thing I'll ask you. And the woman said: Let my lord the king speak now.
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 asked, Is Joab behind all this? The woman answered, As surely as you live, my lord the king, there's no getting around anything you've said. Yes, your servant Joab instructed me and put all these words in my mouth.
And the king said: Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered: As surely as your soul lives, my lord king, nobody can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my lord the king has spoken. Because your servant Joab ordered me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
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:
Your servant Joab did this to change the way you looked at the matter. But my lord is wise like an angel of God and understands what is happening throughout the land.
Your servant Joab did this thing to change the way the matter looked. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know everything that's in the earth.
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.
Absalom comes back
The king said to Joab, All right. I'll do it. Go and bring the young man Absalom back. Joab fell face down, bowed and blessed the king. He said, Today your servant knows you are pleased with me, my lord the king, because the king has granted my request. Then Joab got up, went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, He can go to his own house. He is not to see my face. So Absalom went home and did not see the king. In all Israel no man was praised for his appearance as much as Absalom. From the soles of his feet to the top of his head there was no blemish on him. Whenever he cut the hair of his head — usually once a year because it became so heavy — the cut hair weighed two hundred shekels by the royal standard. Three sons and one daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter was named Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman. Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two full years without seeing the king's face. Then Absalom sent for Joab so he could send him to the king, but Joab wouldn't come. He sent for him a second time, and Joab still refused. So Absalom told his servants, Joab's field is next to mine, and he's got barley growing there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants burned the field. That got Joab moving. He went to Absalom's house and demanded, Why have your servants set my field on fire? Absalom told Joab, I sent for you because I wanted you to go to the king and ask, Why did I bother coming back from Geshur? I'd have been better off staying there. Now let me see the king. And if I'm guilty of something worthy of death, let him kill me. Joab went to the king and told him. The king summoned Absalom, who came in, bowed face down before him, and the king kissed Absalom.
And the king said to Joab: Look now, I've done this thing. So go, bring the young man Absalom back. And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed down and thanked the king. And Joab said: Today your servant knows I've found favour in your sight, my lord king, in that the king has done what his servant asked. So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said: Let him turn to his own house, and don't let him see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house and didn't see the king's face. But in all Israel there wasn't anyone praised so much for his good looks as Absalom. From the sole of his foot right to the top of his head there wasn't any fault in him. And when he cut the hair of his head — because at the end of every year he cut it, because the hair was heavy on him, that's why he cut it — he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight. And three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman. So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem and didn't see the king's face. So Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But he wouldn't come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he wouldn't come. So he said to his servants: See, Joab's field is near mine, and he's got barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Then Joab got up and came to Absalom at his house and said to him: Why have your servants set my field on fire? And Absalom answered Joab: Look — I sent to you: Come here, so I can send you to the king: Why have I come from Geshur? It'd have been better for me to still be there. So now let me see the king's face. And if there's any wrongdoing in me, let him kill me. So Joab came to the king and told him. And when he'd called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground in front of the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. 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. So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to 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. 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. 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. And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance. So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face. 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. 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. Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? 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. 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.
The king said to Joab, All right. I'll do it. Go and bring the young man Absalom back.
And the king said to Joab: Look now, I've done this thing. So go, bring the young man Absalom back.
And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
Joab fell face down, bowed and blessed the king. He said, Today your servant knows you are pleased with me, my lord the king, because the king has granted my request.
And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed down and thanked the king. And Joab said: Today your servant knows I've found favour in your sight, my lord king, in that the king has done what his servant asked.
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.
Then Joab got up, went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
But the king said, He can go to his own house. He is not to see my face. So Absalom went home and did not see the king.
And the king said: Let him turn to his own house, and don't let him see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house and didn't see the king's face.
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.
In all Israel no man was praised for his appearance as much as Absalom. From the soles of his feet to the top of his head there was no blemish on him.
But in all Israel there wasn't anyone praised so much for his good looks as Absalom. From the sole of his foot right to the top of his head there wasn't any fault in him.
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.
Whenever he cut the hair of his head — usually once a year because it became so heavy — the cut hair weighed two hundred shekels by the royal standard.
And when he cut the hair of his head — because at the end of every year he cut it, because the hair was heavy on him, that's why he cut it — he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight.
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.
Three sons and one daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter was named Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.
And three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.
And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two full years without seeing the king's face.
So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem and didn't see the king's face.
So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
Then Absalom sent for Joab so he could send him to the king, but Joab wouldn't come. He sent for him a second time, and Joab still refused.
So Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But he wouldn't come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he wouldn't come.
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.
So Absalom told his servants, Joab's field is next to mine, and he's got barley growing there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants burned the field.
So he said to his servants: See, Joab's field is near mine, and he's got barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
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.
That got Joab moving. He went to Absalom's house and demanded, Why have your servants set my field on fire?
Then Joab got up and came to Absalom at his house and said to him: Why have your servants set my field on fire?
Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
Absalom told Joab, I sent for you because I wanted you to go to the king and ask, Why did I bother coming back from Geshur? I'd have been better off staying there. Now let me see the king. And if I'm guilty of something worthy of death, let him kill me.
And Absalom answered Joab: Look — I sent to you: Come here, so I can send you to the king: Why have I come from Geshur? It'd have been better for me to still be there. So now let me see the king's face. And if there's any wrongdoing in me, let him kill me.
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.
Joab went to the king and told him. The king summoned Absalom, who came in, bowed face down before him, and the king kissed Absalom.
So Joab came to the king and told him. And when he'd called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground in front of the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
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.