1NOW 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 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:
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 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.
5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
6 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.
7 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.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
9 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.
10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
11 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.
12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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:
20 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.
21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
22 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.
23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 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.
25 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.
26 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.
27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
29 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.
30 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.
31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
32 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.
33 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.

1Now Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, perceiued that the kings heart was toward Absalom.

2And Ioab sent to Tekoah, and fetcht thence a wise woman, and said vnto her, I pray thee, faine thy selfe to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thy selfe with oile, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

3And come to the king, and speake on this maner vnto him: so Ioab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, shee fell on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and said, Helpe, O king.

5And the king said vnto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

6And thy handmayd had two sonnes, and they two stroue together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

7And behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmayd, and they said, Deliuer him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew, and we will destroy the heire also: and so they shall quench my cole which is left, and shall not leaue to my husband neither name nor remainder vpon the earth.

8And the king saide vnto the woman, Goe to thine house, and I will giue charge concerning thee.

9And the woman of Tekoah said vnto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquitie bee on mee, and on my fathers house: and the king and his throne bee guiltlesse.

10And the king said, Whosoeuer saith ought vnto thee, bring him to mee, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the reuengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my sonne. And he said, As the Lord liueth, there shall not one haire of thy sonne fall to the earth.

12Then the woman said, Let thine handmayd, I pray thee, speake one word vnto my lord the king. And hee said, Say on.

13And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? For the king doeth speake this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doeth not fetch home againe his banished.

14For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot bee gathered vp againe: neither doeth God respect any person, yet doeth he deuise meanes, that his banished bee not expelled from him.

15Now therefore that I am come to speake of this thing vnto my lord the king, it is because the people haue made me afraid: and thy handmayd said, I will now speake vnto the king; it may bee that the king will performe the request of his handmayd.

16For the king wil heare, to deliuer his handmayd out of the hand of the man that would destroy mee, and my sonne together out of the inheritance of God:

17Then 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 discerne good and bad: therfore the Lord thy God will be with thee.

18Then the king answered and said vnto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall aske thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speake.

19And the king said, Is not the hand of Ioab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soule liueth, my lord the king, none can turne to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy seruant Ioab, hee bade me, and he put all these wordes in the mouth of thine handmaid:

20To fetch about this forme of speech hath thy seruant Ioab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisedome of an Angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

21 And the king said vnto Ioab, Behold now, I haue done this thing: goe therefore, bring the yong man Absalom againe.

22And Ioab fell to the ground on his face, & bowed himselfe, and thanked the king: and Ioab said, To day thy seruant knoweth that I haue found grace in thy sight, my lord O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his seruant.

23So Ioab arose, and went to Geshur, & brought Absalom to Ierusalem.

24And the king said, Let him turne to his owne house, & let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his owne house, and sawe not the kings face.

25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom, for his beautie: from the sole of his foot euen to the crowne of his head, there was no blemish in him.

26And when he polled his head, (for it was at euery yeres end that he polled it: because the haire was heauy on him, therefore he polled it) hee weighed the haire of his head at two hundred shekels after the kings weight.

27And vnto Absalom there were borne three sonnes, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: shee was a woman of a faire countenance.

28 So Absalom dwelt two full yeeres in Ierusalem, and saw not the kings face.

29Therefore Absalom sent for Ioab, to haue sent him to the king, but hee would not come to him: and when hee sent againe the second time, hee would not come.

30Therefore hee said vnto his seruants, See, Ioabs field is neere mine, and he hath barley there: goe, and set it on fire: and Absaloms seruants set the field on fire.

31Then Ioab arose, and came to Absalom vnto his house, and said vnto him, Wherefore haue thy seruants set my field on fire?

32And Absalom answered Ioab, Behold, I sent vnto thee, saying, come hither, that I may send thee to the king to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? It had bene good for mee to haue bene there still: now therefore let me see the kings face: and if there bee any iniquitie in me, let him kill me.

33So Ioab came to the King, and told him: and when hee had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himselfe on his face to the ground before the king, and the King kissed Absalom.

I == 2nd Sam 13:30

II == Ruth 3:3 ; 2nd Chr 11:6

 

 

 

 

III == Ex 4:14 ; 2nd Sam 14:19

 

IV == 1st Sam 20:41 ; 2nd Sam 1:2 ; 2nd Kings 6:26 , 28

V == 2nd Sam 12:1

 

 

 

 

VII == Num 35:19 ; Deut 19:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IX == Gen 27:13 ; 1st SAm 25:24 ; 2nd Sam 3:28-29 ; 1st Kings 2:33 ; Matt 27:25

 

 

XI == Num 35:19 ; 1st Sam 14:45 ; Acts 27:34

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == Judg 20:2 ; 2nd Sam 13:37-38

 

 

XIV == Num 35:15 , 25 , 28 ; Job 34:15 ; Heb 9:27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == 2nd Sam 14:20 ; 19:27

 

 

 

 

 

XIX == 2nd Sam 14:3

 

 

 

 

 

XX == 2nd Sam 14:17 ; 19:27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == 2nd Sam 13:37

XIV == Gen 43:3 ; 2nd Sam 3:13

 

 

XXV == Isa 1:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVII == 2nd Sam 18:18

 

XXVIII == 2nd Sam 14:24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIII == Gen 33:4 ; 45:14 ; Luke 15:20

 

1 When Joab, son of Zeruiah, observed how the king felt toward Absalom,

2 he sent to Tekoa and brought from there a gifted woman, to whom he said: "Pretend to be in mourning. Put on mourning apparel and do not anoint yourself with oil, that you may appear to be a woman who has been long in mourning for a departed one.

3 Then go to the king and speak to him in this manner." And Joab instructed her what to say.

4 So the woman of Tekoa went to the king and fell prostrate to the ground in homage, saying, "Help, your majesty!"

5 The king said to her, "What do you want?" She replied: "Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead.

6 Your servant had two sons, who quarreled in the field. There being no one to part them, one of them struck his brother and killed him.

7 Then the whole clan confronted your servant and demanded: 'Give up the one who killed his brother. We must put him to death for the life of his brother whom he has slain; we must extinguish the heir also.' Thus they will quench my remaining hope and leave my husband neither name nor posterity upon the earth."

8 The king then said to the woman: "Go home. I will issue a command on your behalf."

9 The woman of Tekoa answered him, "Let me and my family be to blame, my lord king; you and your throne are innocent."

10 Then the king said, "If anyone says a word to you, have him brought to me, and he shall not touch you again."

11 But she went on to say, "Please, your majesty, keep in mind the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood may not go too far in destruction and that my son may not be done away with." He replied, "As the LORD lives, not a hair of your son shall fall to the ground."

12 The woman continued, "Please let your servant say still another word to my lord the king." He replied, "Speak."

13 So the woman said: "Why, then, do you think of this same kind of thing against the people of God? In pronouncing as he has, the king shows himself guilty, for not bringing back his own banished son.

14 We must indeed die; we are then like water that is poured out on the ground and cannot be gathered up. Yet, though God does not bring back life, he does take thought how not to banish anyone from him.

15 And now, if I have presumed to speak of this matter to your majesty, it is because the people have given me cause to fear. And so your servant thought: 'Let me speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the petition of his maidservant.

16 For the king must surely consent to free his servant from the grasp of one who would seek to destroy me and my son as well from God's inheritance.'"

17 And the woman concluded: "Let the word of my lord the king provide a resting place; indeed, my lord the king is like an angel of God, evaluating good and bad. The LORD your God be with you."

18 The king answered the woman, "Now do not conceal from me anything I may ask you!" The woman said, "Let my lord the king speak."

19 So the king asked, "Is Joab involved with you in all this?" And the woman answered: "As you live, my lord the king, it is just as your majesty has said, and not otherwise. It was your servant Joab who instructed me and told your servant all these things she was to say.

20 Your servant Joab did this to come at the issue in a roundabout way. But my lord is as wise as an angel of God, so that he knows all things on earth."

21 Then the king said to Joab: "I hereby grant this request. Go, therefore, and bring back young Absalom."

22 Falling prostrate to the ground in homage and blessing the king, Joab said, "This day I know that I am in good favor with you, my lord the king, since the king has granted the request of his servant."

23 Joab then went off to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 But the king said, "Let him go to his own house; he shall not appear before me." So Absalom went off to his house and did not appear before the king.

25 In all Israel there was not a man who could so be praised for his beauty as Absalom, who was without blemish from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

26 When he shaved his head - which he used to do at the end of every year, because his hair became too heavy for him - the hair weighed two hundred shekels according to the royal standard.

27 Absalom had three sons born to him, besides a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.

28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without appearing before the king.

29 Then he summoned Joab to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. Although he summoned him a second time, Joab refused to come.

30 He therefore instructed his servants: "You see Joab's field that borders mine, on which he has barley. Go, set it on fire." And so Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Joab's farmhands came to him with torn garments and reported to him what had been done.

31 At this, Joab went to Absalom in his house and asked him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"

32 Absalom answered Joab: "I was summoning you to come here, that I may send you to the king to say: 'Why did I come back from Geshur? I would be better off if I were still there!' Now, let me appear before the king. If I am guilty, let him put me to death."

33 Joab went to the king and reported this. The king then called Absalom, who came to him and in homage fell on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed him.

v 1-3. David loved and longed for Absalom, but could not forgive him for his murder of Amnon. Joab was aware of this and concerned for David, so he resorted to deception, using the woman of Tekoa, who must have been a pretty good actress. He formulated words for her to use, after the order of Nathan’s parable, 12:1-12.

 

 

v 4-11. Briefly, a son of the widow killed his brother and the family wanted to put the murderer to death, which would leave her completely without heir or sustenance. She extracted a promise from David that both she and her son would be protected.Hope: literally, "glowing coal." The image is similar to that of the lighted lamp, e.g.,Psalm 89:17 to keep alive the ancestral name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 12-14. Having received this commitment from the king, she revealed the purpose of her parable. The nation was represented as a widowed mother, Absalom the single member of the family left, and the king was asked to act in the place of God by devising a way to bring his banished son home. Unlike Nathan’s parable, her analogy was faulty. Absalom was not the only heir, he had shown no sign of repentance, and it was unscriptural for the king to set aside the Law. HOW NOT TO BANISH: a possible allusion to the religious institution of cities of refuge for involuntary murderers; Numbers 35:9-15

v 15-17. The woman switches back to her parable as though it was truly she and her son in question, and flatteringly implores the king to make a favorable decision. RESTING PLACE: Psalm 95:11; Hebrews 3:7-4, 11. The reference here is to a return home for Absalom to Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 18-20. David suspected the hand of Joab in this, and she admitted it in full. She again compares David’s wisdom to that of an angel, but now she is sincere, whereas in verse 17 it was largely flattery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 21-24. David granted Joab’s request without enthusiasm. Joab was thankful that the request had been granted without himself being in trouble for the deception. Joab was permitted to bring Absalom back, but the king seems to feel law and justice weren’t properly administered, and places Absalom in what amounted to house arrest. This would show the public that David did not approve of his son’s murderous act.

 

 

 

 

v 25-27. Absalom’s was a handsome family. Both he, his sister Tamar,13:1, and his daughter Tamar are all described as beautiful, and his hair weighed 3-5 pounds. His good looks contributed to his popularity and pride, 18:18, and eventually, 18:9, to his destruction. According to 18:18, Absalom’s three sons apparently died young.

 

 

 

v 28-32. After two years of house arrest, Absalom tried to appeal to Joab, who by this time perhaps felt that David was right, so he ignored Absalom’s pleas. Absalom set Joab’s barley field on fire to force him to confer with him. Absalom seeks to justify himself without repentance, indicating he would rather die than live the way he was, though according to the law he should not even been allowed to live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 33. Joab obtained permission to bring Absalom before the king and he bowed in proper obeisance, but still without repentance. Because of David’s weak manner of handling discipline in the family and his love for Absalom, David kissed him restoring him to full sonship.