1 Now Joab{H3097} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870} perceived{H3045}{(H8799)} that the king's{H4428} heart{H3820} was toward Absalom{H53}.

2 And Joab{H3097} sent{H7971}{(H8799)} to Tekoah{H8620}, and fetched{H3947}{(H8799)} thence a wise{H2450} woman{H802}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner{H56}{(H8693)}, and put on{H3847}{(H8798)} now mourning{H60} apparel{H899}, and anoint{H5480}{(H8799)} not thyself with oil{H8081}, but be as a woman{H802} that had a long{H7227} time{H3117} mourned{H56}{(H8690)} for the dead{H4191}{(H8801)}:

3 And come{H935}{(H8804)} to the king{H4428}, and speak{H1696}{(H8765)} on this manner{H1697} unto him. So Joab{H3097} put{H7760}{(H8799)} the words{H1697} in her mouth{H6310}.

4 And when the woman{H802} of Tekoah{H8621} spake{H559}{(H8799)} to the king{H4428}, she fell{H5307}{(H8799)} on her face{H639} to the ground{H776}, and did obeisance{H7812}{(H8691)}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Help{H3467}{(H8685)}, O king{H4428}.

5 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered{H559}{(H8799)}, I am indeed{H61} a widow{H490} woman{H802}, and mine husband{H376} is dead{H4191}{(H8799)}.

6 And thy handmaid{H8198} had two{H8147} sons{H1121}, and they two{H8147} strove together{H5327}{(H8735)} in the field{H7704}, and there was none to part{H5337}{(H8688)} them, but the one{H259} smote{H5221}{(H8686)} the other{H259}, and slew{H4191}{(H8686)} him.

7 And, behold, the whole family{H4940} is risen{H6965}{(H8804)} against thine handmaid{H8198}, and they said{H559}{(H8799)}, Deliver{H5414}{(H8798)} him that smote{H5221}{(H8688)} his brother{H251}, that we may kill{H4191}{(H8686)} him, for the life{H5315} of his brother{H251} whom he slew{H2026}{(H8804)}; and we will destroy{H8045}{(H8686)} the heir{H3423}{(H8802)} also: and so they shall quench{H3518}{(H8765)} my coal{H1513} which is left{H7760}{(H8800)}, and shall not leave{H7604}{(H8738)} to my husband{H376} neither name{H8034} nor remainder{H7611} upon{H6440} the earth{H127}.

8 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the woman{H802}, Go{H3212}{(H8798)} to thine house{H1004}, and I will give charge{H6680}{(H8762)} concerning thee.

9 And the woman{H802} of Tekoah{H8621} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the king{H4428}, My lord{H113}, O king{H4428}, the iniquity{H5771} be on me, and on my father's{H1} house{H1004}: and the king{H4428} and his throne{H3678} be guiltless{H5355}.

10 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Whosoever saith{H1696}{(H8764)} ought unto thee, bring{H935}{(H8689)} him to me, and he shall not touch{H5060}{(H8800)} thee any more{H3254}{(H8686)}.

11 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} she, I pray thee, let the king{H4428} remember{H2142}{(H8799)} the LORD{H3068} thy God{H430}, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers{H1350}{(H8802)} of blood{H1818} to destroy{H7843}{(H8763)} any more{H7235}{(H8687)}, lest they destroy{H8045}{(H8686)} my son{H1121}. And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, As the LORD{H3068} liveth{H2416}, there shall not one hair{H8185} of thy son{H1121} fall{H5307}{(H8799)} to the earth{H776}.

12 Then the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Let thine handmaid{H8198}, I pray thee, speak{H1696}{(H8762)} one word{H1697} unto my lord{H113} the king{H4428}. And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, Say on{H1696}{(H8761)}.

13 And the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Wherefore then hast thou thought{H2803}{(H8804)} such a thing against the people{H5971} of God{H430}? for the king{H4428} doth speak{H1696}{(H8693)} this thing{H1697} as one which is faulty{H818}, in that the king{H4428} doth not fetch home again{H7725}{(H8687)} his banished{H5080}{(H8737)}.

14 For we must needs{H4191}{(H8800)} die{H4191}{(H8799)}, and are as water{H4325} spilt{H5064}{(H8737)} on the ground{H776}, which cannot be gathered up again{H622}{(H8735)}; neither doth God{H430} respect{H5375}{(H8799)} any person{H5315}: yet doth he devise{H2803}{(H8804)} means{H4284}, that his banished{H5080}{(H8737)} be not expelled{H5080}{(H8799)} from him.

15 Now therefore that I am come{H935}{(H8804)} to speak{H1696}{(H8763)} of this thing{H1697} unto my lord{H113} the king{H4428}, it is because the people{H5971} have made me afraid{H3372}{(H8765)}: and thy handmaid{H8198} said{H559}{(H8799)}, I will now speak{H1696}{(H8762)} unto the king{H4428}; it may be that the king{H4428} will perform{H6213}{(H8799)} the request{H1697} of his handmaid{H519}.

16 For the king{H4428} will hear{H8085}{(H8799)}, to deliver{H5337}{(H8687)} his handmaid{H519} out of the hand{H3709} of the man{H376} that would destroy{H8045}{(H8687)} me and my son{H1121} together{H3162} out of the inheritance{H5159} of God{H430}.

17 Then thine handmaid{H8198} said{H559}{(H8799)}, The word{H1697} of my lord{H113} the king{H4428} shall now be comfortable{H4496}: for as an angel{H4397} of God{H430}, so is my lord{H113} the king{H4428} to discern{H8085}{(H8800)} good{H2896} and bad{H7451}: therefore the LORD{H3068} thy God{H430} will be with thee.

18 Then the king{H4428} answered{H6030}{(H8799)} and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the woman{H802}, Hide{H3582}{(H8762)} not from me, I pray thee, the thing{H1697} that I shall ask{H7592}{(H8802)} thee. And the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Let my lord{H113} the king{H4428} now speak{H1696}{(H8762)}.

19 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Is not the hand{H3027} of Joab{H3097} with thee in all this? And the woman{H802} answered{H6030}{(H8799)} and said{H559}{(H8799)}, As thy soul{H5315} liveth{H2416}, my lord{H113} the king{H4428}, none{H376} can{H786} turn to the right hand{H3231}{(H8687)} or to the left{H8041}{(H8687)} from ought that my lord{H113} the king{H4428} hath spoken{H1696}{(H8765)}: for thy servant{H5650} Joab{H3097}, he bade{H6680}{(H8765)} me, and he put{H7760}{(H8804)} all these words{H1697} in the mouth{H6310} of thine handmaid{H8198}:

20 To{H5668} fetch about{H5437}{(H8763)} this form{H6440} of speech{H1697} hath thy servant{H5650} Joab{H3097} done{H6213}{(H8804)} this thing{H1697}: and my lord{H113} is wise{H2450}, according to the wisdom{H2451} of an angel{H4397} of God{H430}, to know{H3045}{(H8800)} all things that are in the earth{H776}.

21 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Joab{H3097}, Behold now, I have done{H6213}{(H8804)} this thing{H1697}: go{H3212}{(H8798)} therefore, bring{H7725} the young man{H5288} Absalom{H53} again{H7725}{(H8685)}.

22 And Joab{H3097} fell{H5307}{(H8799)} to the ground{H776} on his face{H6440}, and bowed{H7812}{(H8691)} himself, and thanked{H1288}{(H8762)} the king{H4428}: and Joab{H3097} said{H559}{(H8799)}, To day{H3117} thy servant{H5650} knoweth{H3045}{(H8804)} that I have found{H4672}{(H8804)} grace{H2580} in thy sight{H5869}, my lord{H113}, O king{H4428}, in that the king{H4428} hath fulfilled{H6213}{(H8804)} the request{H1697} of his servant{H5650}.

23 So Joab{H3097} arose{H6965}{(H8799)} and went{H3212}{(H8799)} to Geshur{H1650}, and brought{H935}{(H8686)} Absalom{H53} to Jerusalem{H3389}.

24 And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Let him turn{H5437}{(H8735)} to his own house{H1004}, and let him not see{H7200}{(H8799)} my face{H6440}. So Absalom{H53} returned{H5437}{(H8735)} to his own house{H1004}, and saw{H7200}{(H8804)} not the king's{H4428} face{H6440}.

25 But in all Israel{H3478} there was none{H376} to be so much{H3966} praised{H1984}{(H8763)} as Absalom{H53} for his beauty{H3303}: from the sole{H3709} of his foot{H7272} even to the crown of his head{H6936} there was no blemish{H3971} in him.

26 And when he polled{H1548}{(H8763)} his head{H7218},(for it was at every year's{H3117}{H3117} end{H7093} that he polled{H1548}{(H8762)} it: because the hair was heavy{H3513}{(H8804)} on him, therefore he polled{H1548}{(H8765)} it:) he weighed{H8254}{(H8804)} the hair{H8181} of his head{H7218} at two hundred{H3967} shekels{H8255} after the king's{H4428} weight{H68}.

27 And unto Absalom{H53} there were born{H3205}{(H8735)} three{H7969} sons{H1121}, and one{H259} daughter{H1323}, whose name{H8034} was Tamar{H8559}: she was a woman{H802} of a fair{H3303} countenance{H4758}.

28 So Absalom{H53} dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} two full{H3117} years{H8141} in Jerusalem{H3389}, and saw{H7200}{(H8804)} not the king's{H4428} face{H6440}.

29 Therefore Absalom{H53} sent{H7971}{(H8799)} for Joab{H3097}, to have sent{H7971}{(H8800)} him to the king{H4428}; but he would{H14}{(H8804)} not come{H935}{(H8800)} to him: and when he sent again{H7971}{(H8799)} the second time{H8145}, he would{H14}{(H8804)} not come{H935}{(H8800)}.

30 Therefore he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto his servants{H5650}, See{H7200}{(H8798)}, Joab's{H3097} field{H2513} is near{H413} mine{H3027}, and he hath barley{H8184} there; go{H3212}{(H8798)} and set{H3341}{(H8685)} it on fire{H784}. And Absalom's{H53} servants{H5650} set{H3341}{(H8686)} the field{H2513} on fire{H784}.

31 Then Joab{H3097} arose{H6965}{(H8799)}, and came{H935}{(H8799)} to Absalom{H53} unto his house{H1004}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Wherefore have thy servants{H5650} set{H3341}{(H8689)} my field{H2513} on fire{H784}?

32 And Absalom{H53} answered{H559}{(H8799)} Joab{H3097}, Behold, I sent{H7971}{(H8804)} unto thee, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Come{H935}{(H8798)} hither, that I may send{H7971}{(H8799)} thee to the king{H4428}, to say{H559}{(H8800)}, Wherefore am I come{H935}{(H8804)} from Geshur{H1650}? it had been good{H2896} for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see{H7200}{(H8799)} the king's{H4428} face{H6440}; and if there be{H3426} any iniquity{H5771} in me, let him kill{H4191}{(H8689)} me.

33 So Joab{H3097} came{H935}{(H8799)} to the king{H4428}, and told{H5046}{(H8686)} him: and when he had called{H7121}{(H8799)} for Absalom{H53}, he came{H935}{(H8799)} to the king{H4428}, and bowed{H7812}{(H8691)} himself on his face{H639} to the ground{H776} before{H6440} the king{H4428}: and the king{H4428} kissed{H5401}{(H8799)} Absalom{H53}.