2 Samuel 14:1-20
1599 Geneva Bible
14 2 Absalom is reconciled to his father by the subtlety of Joab. 24 Absalom may not see the King’s face. 25 The beauty of Absalom. 30 He causeth Joab’s corn to be burnt, and is brought to his father’s presence.
1 Then Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived, that the king’s [a]heart was toward Absalom,
2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought thence a [b]subtle woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to mourn, and now put on mourning apparel, and [c]anoint not thyself with oil: but be as a woman that had now long time mourned for the dead.
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him, (for Joab [d]taught her what she should say).
4 ¶ Then the woman of Tekoa spake unto the king, and fell down on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, [e]Help, O King.
5 Then the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a [f]widow, and mine husband is dead:
6 And thine handmaid had two [g]sons, and they two strove together in the field, (and there was none to part them) so 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 [h]soul of his brother whom he slew, that we may destroy the heir also: so they shall quench my sparkle which is left, and shall not leave to mine husband neither name nor posterity upon the earth.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give a charge for thee.
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said unto the King, My lord, O King, this [i]trespass be on me, and on my father’s house, and the King and his throne be [j]guiltless.
10 And the King said, Bring him to me that speaketh against thee, and he shall touch thee no more.
11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king [k]remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer many revengers of blood to destroy, lest they slay my son. And he answered, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said, I pray thee, let thine handmaid speak a word to my lord the King. And he said, Say on.
13 Then the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou [l]thought such a thing against the people of God? or why doth the King, as one which is faulty, speak this thing, that he will not bring again his banished?
14 For we must needs die, and we are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again: neither doth God [m]spare any person, yet doth he appoint [n]means, not to cast out from him, him that is expelled.
15 Now therefore, that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the King, the cause is that the people [o]have made me afraid: therefore thine handmaid said, Now will I 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 also my son from the inheritance of God.
17 Therefore thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be [p]comfortable: for my lord the King is even as an [q]Angel of God in hearing of good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God 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 [r]the hand of Joab with thee in all this? Then the woman answered, and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the King, I will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for even thy servant Joab bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid.
20 For to the intent that I [s]should change the form of speech, thy servant Joab hath done this thing: but [t]my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel of God, to understand all things that are in the earth.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 14:1 That the king favored him.
- 2 Samuel 14:2 Or, wife.
- 2 Samuel 14:2 In token of mourning: for they used anointing to seem cheerful.
- 2 Samuel 14:3 Hebrew, put words in her mouth.
- 2 Samuel 14:4 Hebrew, Save.
- 2 Samuel 14:5 Hebrew, a widow woman.
- 2 Samuel 14:6 Under this parable she describeth the death of Amnon by Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 14:7 Because he hath slain his brother he ought to be slain according to the Law, Gen. 9:6; Exod. 21:12.
- 2 Samuel 14:9 As touching the breach of the Law which punisheth blood, let me bear the blame.
- 2 Samuel 14:9 Or, innocent.
- 2 Samuel 14:11 Swear that they shall not revenge the blood, which are many in number.
- 2 Samuel 14:13 Why dost thou give contrary sentence in thy son Absalom?
- 2 Samuel 14:14 Or, accept.
- 2 Samuel 14:14 God hath provided ways (as sanctuaries) to save them oft times, whom man judgeth worthy death.
- 2 Samuel 14:15 For I thought they would kill this mine heir.
- 2 Samuel 14:17 Hebrew, rest.
- 2 Samuel 14:17 Is of great wisdom to discern right from wrong.
- 2 Samuel 14:19 Hast not thou done this by the counsel of Joab.
- 2 Samuel 14:20 By speaking further in a parable then plainly.
- 2 Samuel 14:20 Or, none can hide ought from the King.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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