II Samuel Chapter 14
Other Translations
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
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;
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and come to the king, and speak after this manner to him. And Joab put the words into her mouth.
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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!
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And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she said, I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead.
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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.
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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.
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And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
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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.
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And the king said, Whoever speaks to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
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Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thyGod, 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.
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And the woman said, Let thy bondmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Speak.
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And the woman said, Why then hast thou thought such a thing againstGod's people? and the king in saying this thing, is as one guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.
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For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; andGod has not taken away his life, but devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him.
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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.
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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 ofGod.
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And thy bondmaid said, Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable; for as an angel ofGod, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and Jehovah thyGod will be with thee.
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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.
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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:
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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 ofGod, to know all that is in the earth.
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And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: so go, bring back the young man Absalom.
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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.
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And Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful countenance.
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So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king's face.
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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.
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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.
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Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to [his] house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my allotment on fire?
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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.
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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.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Intelligens autem Ioab filius Sarviæ, quod cor regis versum esset ad Absalom,
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misit Thecuam, et tulit inde mulierem sapientem: dixitque ad eam: Lugere te simula, et induere veste lugubri, et ne ungaris oleo, ut sis quasi mulier iam plurimo tempore lugens mortuum:
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et ingredieris ad regem, et loqueris ad eum sermones huiuscemodi. Posuit autem Ioab verba in ore eius.
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Itaque cum ingressa fuisset mulier Thecuitis ad regem, cecidit coram eo super terram, et adoravit, et dixit: Serva me rex.
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Et ait ad eam rex: Quid causæ habes? Quæ respondit: Heu, mulier vidua ego sum: mortuus est enim vir meus.
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Et ancillæ tuæ erant duo filii: qui rixati sunt adversum se in agro, nullusque erat, qui eos prohibere posset: et percussit alter alterum, et interfecit eum.
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Et ecce consurgens universa cognatio adversum ancillam tuam, dicit: Trade eum, qui percussit fratrem suum, ut occidamus eum pro anima fratris sui, quem interfecit, et deleamus heredem: et quærunt extinguere scintillam meam, quæ relicta est, ut non supersit viro meo nomen, et reliquiæ super terram.
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Et ait rex ad mulierem: Vade in domum tuam, et ego iubebo pro te.
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Dixitque mulier Thecuitis ad regem: In me, domine mi rex, sit iniquitas, et in domum patris mei: rex autem et thronus eius sit innocens.
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Et ait rex: Qui contradixerit tibi, adduc eum ad me, et ultra non addet ut tangat te.
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Quæ ait: Recordetur rex Domini Dei sui, ut non multiplicentur proximi sanguinis ad ulciscendum, et nequaquam interficiant filium meum. Qui ait: Vivit Dominus, quia non cadet de capillis filii tui super terram.
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Dixit ergo mulier: Loquatur ancilla tua ad dominum meum regem verbum. Et ait: Loquere.
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Dixitque mulier: Quare cogitasti huiuscemodi rem contra populum Dei, et locutus est rex verbum istud, ut peccet, et non reducat eiectum suum?
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Omnes morimur, et quasi aquæ dilabimur in terram, quæ non revertuntur: nec vult Deus perire animam, sed retractat cogitans ne penitus pereat qui abiectus est.
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Nunc igitur veni, ut loquar ad dominum meum regem verbum hoc, præsente populo. Et dixit ancilla tua: Loquar ad regem, si quo modo faciat rex verbum ancillæ suæ.
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Et audivit rex, ut liberaret ancillam suam de manu omnium, qui volebant de hereditate Dei delere me, et filium meum simul.
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Dicat ergo ancilla tua, ut fiat verbum domini mei regis sicut sacrificium. Sicut enim Angelus Dei, sic est Dominus meus rex, ut nec benedictione, nec maledictione moveatur: unde et Dominus Deus tuus est tecum.
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Et respondens rex, dixit ad mulierem: Ne abscondas a me verbum, quod te interrogo. Dixitque ei mulier: Loquere domine mi rex.
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Et ait rex: Numquid manus Ioab tecum est in omnibus istis? Respondit mulier, et ait: Per salutem animæ tuæ, domine mi rex, nec ad sinistram, nec ad dexteram est ex omnibus his, quæ locutus est dominus meus rex: servus enim tuus Ioab, ipse præcepit mihi, et ipse posuit in os ancillæ tuæ omnia verba hæc.
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Ut verterem figuram sermonis huius, servus tuus Ioab præcepit istud: tu autem domine mi rex, sapiens es, sicut habet sapientiam Angelus Dei, ut intelligas omnia super terram.
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Et ait rex ad Ioab: Ecce placatus feci verbum tuum: vade ergo, et revoca puerum Absalom.
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Cadensque Ioab super faciem suam in terram, adoravit, et benedixit regi: et dixit Ioab: Hodie intellexit sevus tuus, quia inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, domine mi rex: fecisti enim sermonem servi tui.
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Surrexit ergo Ioab et abiit in Gessur, et adduxit Absalom in Ierusalem.
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Dixit autem rex: Revertatur in domum suam, et faciem meam non videat. Reversus est itaque Absalom in domum suam, et faciem regis non vidit.
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Porro sicut Absalom, vir non erat pulcher in omni Israel, et decorus nimis: a vestigio pedis usque ad verticem non erat in eo ulla macula.
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Et quando tondebat capillum (semel autem in anno tondebatur, quia gravabat eum cæsaries) ponderabat capillos capitis sui ducentis siclis, pondere publico.
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Nati sunt autem Absalom filii tres: et filia una nomine Thamar, elegantis formæ.
28
Mansitque Absalom in Ierusalem duobus annis, et faciem regis non vidit.
29
Misit itaque ad Ioab, ut mitteret eum ad regem: qui noluit venire ad eum. Cumque secundo misisset, et ille noluisset venire ad eum,
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dixit servis suis: Scitis agrum Ioab iuxta agrum meum, habentem messem hordei: ite igitur, et succendite eum igni. Succenderunt ergo servi Absalom segetem igni. Et venientes servi Ioab, scissis vestibus suis, dixerunt: Succenderunt servi Absalom partem agri igni.
31
Surrexitque Ioab, et venit ad Absalom in domum eius, et dixit: Quare succenderunt servi tui segetem meam igni?
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Et respondit Absalom ad Ioab: Misi ad te obsecrans ut venires ad me, et mitterem te ad regem, et diceres ei: Quare veni de Gessur? melius mihi erat ibi esse: obsecro ergo ut videam faciem regis: quod si memor est iniquitatis meæ, interficiat me.
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Ingressus itaque Ioab ad regem, nunciavit ei omnia: vocatusque est Absalom, et intravit ad regem, et adoravit super faciem terræ coram eo: osculatusque est rex Absalom.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And Joab son of Zeruial knoweth that the heart of the king <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>am<Fi> I, and my husband dieth,
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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, <FI>is<Fi> the iniquity, and on the house of my father; and the king and his throne <FI>are<Fi> innocent.'
10
And the king saith, `He who speaketh <FI>aught<Fi> 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.'
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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;
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for we do surely die, and <FI>are<Fi> 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.
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`And now that I have come to speak unto the king my lord this word, <FI>it is<Fi> 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,
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for the king doth hearken to deliver his handmaid out of the paw of the man <FI>seeking<Fi> to destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God,
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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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>doth turn<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> wise, according to the wisdom of a messenger of God, to know all that <FI>is<Fi> in the land.'
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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,
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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.
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And like Absalom there was no man <FI>so<Fi> fair in all Israel, to praise greatly; from the sole of his foot even unto his crown there was no blemish in him;
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and in his polling his head--and it hath been at the end of year by year that he polleth <FI>it<Fi> , for it <FI>is<Fi> 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.
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And there are born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter, and her name <FI>is<Fi> 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;
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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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>am<Fi> 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 <FI>it<Fi> 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.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).