2 Samuel 14

1Now it was clear to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, that the king's heart was turning to Absalom.

1And Joab son of Zeruial knoweth that the heart of the king <FI>is<Fi> on Absalom,

1And Joab the son of Sarvia, understanding that the king's heart was turned to Absalom,

2And Joab sent to Tekoa and got from there a wise woman, and said to her, Now make yourself seem like one given up to grief, and put on the clothing of sorrow, not using any sweet oil for your body, but looking like one who for a long time has been weeping for the dead:

2and 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,

2Sent to Thecua, and fetched from thence a wise woman: and said to her: Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and be not anointed with oil, that thou mayest be as a woman that had a long time been mourning for one dead.

3And come to the king and say these words to him. So Joab gave her words to say.

3and thou hast gone unto the king, and spoken unto him, according to this word;' and Joab putteth the words into her mouth.

3And thou shalt go in to the king, and shalt speak to him in this manner. And Joab put the words in her mouth.

4And the woman of Tekoa came to the king, and falling on her face, gave him honour and said, Give me help, O king.

4And the woman of Tekoah speaketh unto the king, and falleth on her face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith, `Save, O king.'

4And when the woman of Thecua was come in to the king, she fell before him upon the ground, and worshipped, and said: Save me, O king.

5And the king said to her, What is your trouble? And her answer was, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

5And the king saith to her, `What--to thee?' and she saith, `Truly a widow woman <FI>am<Fi> I, and my husband dieth,

5And the king said to her: What is the matter with thee? She answered: Alas, I am a widow woman: for my husband is dead.

6And I had two sons, and the two of them had a fight in the field, and there was no one to come between them, and one with a blow put the other to death.

6and 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;

6And thy handmaid had two sons: and they quarrelled with each other in the field, and there was none to part them: and the one struck the other, and slew him.

7And now all the family is turned against me, your servant, saying, Give up him who was the cause of his brother's death, so that we may put him to death in payment for the life of his brother, whose life he took; and we will put an end to the one who will get the heritage: so they will put out my last burning coal, and my husband will have no name or offspring on the face of the earth.

7and 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.'

7And behold the whole kindred rising against thy handmaid, saith: Deliver him that hath slain his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother, whom he slew, and that we may destroy the heir: and they seek to quench my spark which is left, and will leave my husband no name, nor remainder upon the earth.

8And the king said to the woman, Go to your house and I will give orders about this.

8And the king saith unto the woman, `Go to thine house, and I give charge concerning thee.'

8And the king said to the woman: Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, may the sin be on me and on my family, and may the king and the seat of his kingdom be clear of sin!

9And 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.'

9And the woman of Thecua said to the king: Upon me, my lord be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father: but may the king and his throne be guiltless.

10And the king said, If anyone says anything to you, make him come to me, and he will do you no more damage.

10And 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.'

10And the king said: If any one shall say ought against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11Then she said, Let the king keep in mind the Lord your God, so that he who gives punishment for blood may be kept back from further destruction and that no one may send death on my son. And he said, By the living Lord, not a hair of your son's head will come to the earth.

11And 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.'

11And she said: Let the king remember the Lord his God, that the next of kin be not multiplied to take revenge, and that they may not kill my son. And he said: As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12Then the woman said, Will the king let his servant say one word more? And he said, Say on.

12And the woman saith, `Let, I pray thee, thy maid-servant speak unto my lord the king a word;' and he saith, `Speak.'

12The woman said: Let thy hand maid speak one word to my lord the king. And he said: Speak.

13And the woman said, Why have you had such a thought about the people of God? (for in saying these very words the king has put himself in the wrong because he has not taken back the one whom he sent far away.)

13And 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;

13And the woman said: Why hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God, and why hath the king spoken this word, to sin, and not bring home again his own exile?

14For death comes to us all, and we are like water drained out on the earth, which it is not possible to take up again; and God will not take away the life of the man whose purpose is that he who has been sent away may not be completely cut off from him.

14for 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.

14We all die, and like waters that return no more, we fall down into the earth: neither will God have a soul to perish, but recalleth, meaning that he that is cast off should not altogether perish.

15And now it is my fear of the people which has made me come to say these words to my lord the king: and your servant said, I will put my cause before the king, and it may be that he will give effect to my request.

15`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,

15Now therefore I am come, to speak this word to my lord the king before the people. And thy handmaid said: I will speak to the king, it maybe the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16For the king will give ear, and take his servant out of the power of the man whose purpose is the destruction of me and my son together from the heritage of God.

16for 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,

16And the king hath hearkened to me to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of all that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17Then your servant said, May the word of my lord the king give me peace! for my lord the king is as the angel of God in his hearing of good and bad: and may the Lord your God be with you!

17and 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.'

17Then let thy handmaid say, that the word of the Lord the king be made as a sacrifice. For even as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, that he is neither moved with blessing nor cursing: wherefore the Lord thy God is also with thee.

18Then the king said to the woman, Now give me an answer to the question I am going to put to you; keep nothing back. And the woman said, Let my lord the king say on.

18And 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.'

18And the king answering, said to the woman: Hide not from me the thing that I ask thee. And the woman said to him: Speak, my lord the king.

19And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman in answer said, By the life of your soul, my lord the king, it is not possible for anyone to go to the right hand or to the left from anything said by the king: your servant Joab gave me orders, and put all these words in my mouth:

19And 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;

19And the king said: Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? The woman answered, and said: By the health of thy soul, my lord, O king, it is neither on the left hand, nor on the right, in all these things which my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he commanded me, and he put all these words into the mouth of thy handmaid.

20This he did, hoping that the face of this business might be changed: and my lord is wise, with the wisdom of the angel of God, having knowledge of everything on earth.

20in 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.'

20That I should come about with this form of speech, thy servant Joab commanded this: but thou, my lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.

21And the king said to Joab, See now, I will do this thing: go then and Come back with the young man Absalom.

21And the king saith unto Joab, `Lo, I pray thee, thou hast done this thing; and go, bring back the young man Absalom.'

21And the king said to Joab: Behold I am appeased and have granted thy request: Go therefore and fetch back the boy Absalom.

22Then Joab, falling down on his face on the earth, gave the king honour and blessing; and Joab said, Today it is clear to your servant that I have grace in your eyes, my lord king, because the king has given effect to the request of his servant.

22And 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.'

22And Joab falling down to the ground upon his face, adored, and blessed the king: and Joab said: This day thy servant hath understood, that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king: for thou hast fulfilled the request of thy servant.

23So Joab got up and went to Geshur and came back again to Jerusalem with Absalom.

23And Joab riseth and goeth to Geshur, and bringeth in Absalom to Jerusalem,

23Then Joab arose and went to Gessur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24And the king said, Let him go to his house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom went back to his house and did not see the face of the king.

24and 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.

24But the king said: Let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned into his house, and saw not the king's face.

25Now in all Israel there was no one so greatly to be praised for his beautiful form as Absalom: from his feet to the crown of his head he was completely beautiful.

25And 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;

25But in all Israel there was not a man so comely, and so exceedingly beautiful as Absalom: from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26And when he had his hair cut, (which he did at the end of every year, because of the weight of his hair;) the weight of the hair was two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

26and 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.

26And when he polled his hair (now he was polled once a year, because his hair was burdensome to him) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred sicles, according to the common weight.

27And Absalom was the father of three sons and of one daughter named Tamar, who was very beautiful.

27And 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.

27And there were born to Absalom three sons: and one daughter, whose name was Thamar, and she was very beautiful.

28For two full years Absalom was living in Jerusalem without ever seeing the face of the king.

28And Absalom dwelleth in Jerusalem two years of days, and the face of the king he hath not seen;

28And Absalom dwelt two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

29Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

29and 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.

29He sent therefore to Joab, to send him to the king: but he would not come to him. And when he had sent the second time, and he would not come to him,

30So he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley in it; go and put it on fire. And Absalom's servants put the field on fire.

30And 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.

30He said to his servants: You know the field of Joab near my field, that hath a crop of barley: go now and set it on fire. So the servants of Absalom set the corn on fire. And Joab's servants coming with their garments rent, said: The servants of Absalom have set part of the field on fire.

31Then Joab came to Absalom in his house and said to him, Why have your servants put my field on fire?

31And 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?'

31Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said: Why have thy servants set my corn on fire?

32And Absalom's answer was, See, I sent to you saying, Come here, so that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come back from Geshur? it would be better for me to be there still: let me now see the king's face, and if there is any sin in me, let him put me to death.

32And 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.'

32And Absalom answered Joab: I sent to thee beseeching thee to come to me, that I might send thee to the king, to say to him: Wherefore am I come from Gessur? it had been better for me to be there: I beseech thee therefore that I may see the face of the king: and if he be mindful of my iniquity, let him kill me.

33So Joab went to the king and said these words to him: and when the king had sent for him, Absalom came, and went down on his face on the earth before the king: and the king gave him a kiss.

33And 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.

33So Joab going in to the king, told him all: and Absalom was called for, and, he went in to the king: and prostrated himself on the ground before him: and the king kissed Absalom.