Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.
So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her , ... “ Please pretend to be a mourner ; put on ... clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman ... who has mourned for the dead a long time.
Then go to the king and speak these words to him. ” And Joab - put the words in her mouth.
When the woman from Tekoa (went) to the king , she fell vvv facedown ... in homage and said , “ Help me , O king ! ”
“ What the king asked “ Indeed , ” she said , “ I (am) vvv a widow , for my husband is dead.
And your maidservant had two sons (who) were fighting in the field with no one to separate them , and one - struck the other and killed him.
Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said , ‘ Hand over - the one who struck down his brother , that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off - the heir as well ! ’ So they would extinguish - my one remaining ember - by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on ... the earth. ”
“ Go home , ” the king said to the woman , “ and I will give orders on your behalf. ”
But the woman of Tekoa said to the king , “ My lord the king , may any blame be on me and on my father’s house , and may the king and his throne (be) guiltless. ”
“ If anyone speaks to you , ” said the king , “ bring him to me , and he will not trouble again ... ! ”
“ Please , ” she replied , “ may the king - invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation , - so that my son may not be destroyed ! ” “ As surely as the LORD lives , ” he vowed , “ not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground. ”
Then the woman said , “ Please , may your servant speak a word to my lord the king ? ” “ Speak , ” he replied.
The woman asked , “ Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God ? When the king says this ... , does he not convict himself , since (he) - has not brought back his own banished (son) ?
For surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground , which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life ; but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.
Now therefore , - I have come to present this matter to my lord - the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought , ‘ I will speak ... to the king. Perhaps (he) - will grant the request of his maidservant.
For the king will hear and deliver - his maidservant from the hand of the man (who would) cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance. ’
And now your servant ... says , ‘ May the word of my lord the king bring me rest , for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil , just like the angel of God. ... May the LORD your God be with you. ’”
Then the king said to the woman , “ I am going to ask you something ; - do not ... conceal it from me ! ” “ Let my lord the king speak , ” ... she replied.
So the king asked , “ Is the hand of Joab behind all this ? ” The woman ... answered , “ As surely as you live , my lord the king , no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes , your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders ; he told ... your maidservant - - exactly what to say ....
Joab - - your servant has done this to bring about - this change of affairs , but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God , to know - everything that (happens) in the land. ”
Then the king said to Joab , ... ... “ I hereby grant - this request. Go , bring back - the young man - Absalom. ”
Joab fell vvv facedown ... in homage and blessed - the king. “ Today , ” said Joab , “ your servant knows that he has found favor with you , my lord the king , because the king - has granted (his) request. ”
So Joab got up , went to Geshur , and brought - Absalom to Jerusalem.
But the king added , “ He may return to his house , but he must not see my face. ” So Absalom returned to his own house , but (he) did not see the king.
Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head , he did not have a single flaw.
And when he cut the hair of his head — ... he shaved it every year ... ... - because his hair got so heavy ... ... — he would weigh - (it out) ... (to be) two hundred shekels , according to the royal standard.
Three sons were born to Absalom , and a daughter named Tamar , who was a beautiful ... woman.
Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.
Then (he) sent for Joab to send him to the king , but Joab refused ... to come to him. So (Absalom) sent vvv a second (time) , but (Joab) still would not ... come.
Then Absalom said to his servants , “ Look , Joab’s field is next to mine , barley there. Go and set it on fire ! ” And Absalom’s - servants set the field on fire ....
- Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded ... , “ Why did your servants - set my field - on fire ? ”
“ Look , ” said Absalom - - , “ I sent for you and said , ‘ Come here. I want to send - you to the king to ask : Why have I come back from Geshur ? (It would be) better (if) I (were) still there. ’ So now , let me see the king’s face , and if there is iniquity let him kill me. ”
So Joab went - - and told and David summoned Absalom , who came ... to (him) and bowed vvv facedown ... before him .... Then the king kissed Absalom.