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          DASV: 2 Samuel 14    

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart
longed to see Absalom.
2 So Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought a wise woman from there,
and said to her, "Pretend that you are in mourning, and put
on mourning clothes, do not anoint yourself with olive oil.
Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead for many days.
3 Go in to the king, and speak to him in this manner."
So Joab told her what to say.

4 When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her
face to the ground, and paid homage, pleading, "Help me, O king."
5 Then the king asked her, "What's bothering you?" She answered,
"I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
6 Your servant had two sons. They got into a fight in the field
and there was no one to break it up. One struck the other
and killed him.
7 Now the whole family has risen up against your servant,
and demanded, 'Turn over the one who killed his brother,
so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother
whom he murdered, and so destroy this unworthy heir.'
Thus they will quench the only burning coal I have,
and leave no one to carry on my husband's name or no
descendant left on the face of the earth."
8 Then the king said to the woman, "Go to your house,
and I will give orders concerning you."

9 Then the woman of Tekoa replied to the king, "My lord,
O king, let the guilt be on me, and on my father's house,
may the king and his throne be guiltless."
10 Then the king said, "Whoever says anything to you,
bring him to me, and he will not bother you anymore."
11 Then said she, "Let the king invoke the LORD your
God swearing that the avenger of blood will not destroy
anymore, so they will not destroy my son." He replied,
"As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son's head
will fall to the ground."

12 Then the woman said, "Let your servant, please speak
on the matter to my lord the king." He said, "Speak."
13 The woman said, "Why then have you devised such a thing
against the people of God? For in rendering this judgment
the king is the one who is guilty, in that the king does
not bring home again his own banished son.
14 For we must all die, and are like water split on the
ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does take
away life, but devises ways that the one who is banished
not stay banished from him forever.
15 Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak about this
issue with my lord the king, it is because the people have
made me afraid; your servant thought, 'I will speak to the
king; perhaps the king will do what his servant requests.
16 For the king will listen, and deliver his servant from
the hand of the man that would destroy both me and my son
from the inheritance God has given us.'
17 Then your servant thought, 'The word of my lord the king
bring me peace; for my lord the king is like an angel of
God, being able to discern good and evil.' May the LORD
your God be with you."

18 Then the king answered the woman, "Do not hide from me,
anything that I will ask you." The woman said, "Let my lord
the king speak."
19 The king said, "Did Joab put you up to this?" The woman
answered, "As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can
turn to the right or left from anything that my lord the
king has spoken. For Joab, your servant, asked me and
put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
20 Your servant, Joab, did it in order to resolve this
situation. My lord is wise, having wisdom like an angel
of God, knowing everything that is happening in the land."
21 The king said to Joab, "All right, I will do it.
Go, bring back the young man Absalom."
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground, paid homage
and blessed the king. Then Joab said, "Today your
servant knows that I have found favor in your sight,
my lord the king, because the king has granted your
servant's request."

23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom
back to Jerusalem.
24 Then the king said, "Let him go to his own house,
but let him not see my face." So Absalom went to
his own house, and did not see the king's face.
25 Now in all Israel there was no one praised for
being as handsome as Absalom. From the sole of his
foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 He would cut his hair once a year because it got
so heavy he had cut it. When he weighed his hair
it was five pounds.
27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter, whose
name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

28 Absalom stayed two full years in Jerusalem without
seeing the king's face.
29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the
king but he would not come to him. So he sent a
second time but he still would not come.
30 Therefore Absalom told his servants, "Look,
Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley growing
there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants
set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom at his house,
and complained to him, "Why did your servants set
my field on fire?"
32 Absalom replied to Joab, "Look, I sent for you,
saying, 'Come here so that I may send you to the king,
to say, "Why have I come back from Geshur? It would
have been better for me to have stayed there."' Now,
therefore, let me see the king's face, and if I am
guilty of anything, let him put me to death."
33 So Joab went to the king and told him. The king
summoned Absalom, so he came to the king, bowed himself
with his face to the ground before the king;
and the king kissed Absalom.

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