2 Samuel 14:1-33 Joab Asks a Woman to Go to King David & Pretend She Was Mourning

Joab Asks a Woman to Go to King David & Pretend She Was Mourning

2 Samuel 14:1-33       The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks]

Now, Joab, [Zeruiah’s] son, [realized] that [king David’s] heart was [concerned about] Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoah to [bring] [from] [there] a wise woman, & [Joab] said to her, I pray [that] you [pretend you are] a mourner, & put on [mourner’s clothing] now.

And [don't] anoint yourself with oil, but be [like] a woman, [who has] mourned for the dead, a long time, & come to the king, & speak to him [about this.] So, Joab put the words in her mouth, [a.k.a. told her what to say.]

And when the woman [from] Tekoah [spoke] to the king, she fell & [bowed facing] the ground, & said, Help [me,] O king. And king [David] said to her, What [troubles] you? She answered, I am indeed a widow, & [my] husband is dead.

And [I,] your handmaid, had 2 sons, & they [fought] together in a field, & there was [no one] to [pull] them [apart,] but one [struck & killed] the other. [See,] the whole family [has] risen against [me,] your handmaid.

They said, Deliver him, [who killed] his brother, [so] we may kill him, for [taking] his [brother’s] life, & we will also destroy the heir.

So, they quench, [a.k.a. will put out,,] my [remaining] coal [that] is left, & shall leave my husband [without someone to carry on his] name nor [descendants] [of his] upon the earth.

And king [David] said to the woman, Go to your house, & I will give [a ruling related to] you. The woman [from] Tekoah said to king [David,] My lord, O king, the [guilt] [should] be on: me, & my father’s house, & the king & his throne [should] be guiltless, [a.k.a. free of guilt.]

The king said, Bring to me, [whoever says anything] [against] you, & he [won’t bother] you anymore. Then, she said, I pray [that] you, let the king remember the Lord your God, [so] you [wouldn't allow those who avenge the] blood [of those murdered,] to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.

And [king David] said, As the Lord [Lives,] not 1 hair of your son shall fall to the [ground.] Then, the woman said, I pray [that] you, let [me,] your handmaid, speak [a] word to my lord, the king. And [king David] said, [Continue] on.

And the woman said, [Why] then, have you thought such a thing against the people of God? For [you,] the king [said] this thing, [like someone who] is [guilty, since you haven’t brought] [back] home his banished [son] again.

For [it's necessary,] we must die, & are [like] spilt water on the ground, [that] can’t be [picked] up again. Neither [does] God respect, [a.k.a. favor,] any person, [Still God devised] [a way,] that His banished [aren't] expelled, [a.k.a. separated from God.] [Numbers 35:13-15 And [from] these 6 cities, [that] you give, you shall have [them] for refuge. You shall give 3 cities on this side [of the] Jordan [River,] & 3 cities you shall give in the land of Canaan, [that] shall [all] be cities [for] refuge. These 6 cities shall be a refuge, both for: the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, the stranger, [a.k.a. foreigner,] & [those, who temporarily stay] among them. [So] that, everyone, [who kills] any person, [without knowing it,] may flee [there.]

[That’s why] I [have] come to speak [about] this thing to my lord, the king, because the people have made me afraid. And [I,] your handmaid said, I will go now & speak to the king.

It may be that the king will [carry out] his [handmaid’s] request. For the king will [listen,] & deliver [me,] his handmaid out of the hand of the man, [who] would destroy [both] me, & my son, [from] the inheritance of God.

Then, [I,] your handmaid said, The [words] of my lord, the king, shall now be [comforting, like] [from] an Angel of God. So, my lord, the king, is [able] to discern, [a.k.a. distinguish between,] good & bad. Therefore, the Lord your God will be with you.

Then, the king answered, & said to the woman, I pray [that] you [don’t] hide from me, the thing that I shall ask you. The woman said, Let my lord, the king, now speak. And king [David] said, Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all [of] this?

And the woman answered, As your soul [lives,] my lord, the king, [no one] can turn to the right hand [side] or the left from [what] [you,] my lord, the king [have said.] For your servant, Joab, [begged] me, & he put all these words [into] the mouth of [me,] your handmaid, to [bring] about this [conversation.] [That’s why] Joab, your servant, [has] done this thing.

And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an Angel of God, to know all things that [happen on] the earth. And king [David] said to Joab, [See,] I have now done this thing. Therefore go, & bring the young man, Absalom, again.

And Joab fell & bowed [facing] the ground, & thanked the king. And Joab said, Today, [I,] your servant [knows] that I have found grace in your sight, my lord, O king, in that [you,] the king [have] fulfilled his [servant’s] request.

So, Joab arose & went to Geshur, & brought Absalom [back] to Jerusalem. And king [David] said, Let him: [return] to his own house, & not see my face. So, Absalom returned to his own house, & [didn’t see] the king’s face.

But there [wasn’t anyone] in all [of] Israel [who was as] praised for his beauty as Absalom. There was no blemish in him from the sole of his foot, even to the crown, [a.k.a. top,] of his head.

And when Absalom [had] [his hair cut from] his head, (for it was [cut] at every year’s end, because the hair was [so] heavy [for] him, [that's why] he [had] it cut.) [Absalom] weighed the hair [from] his head, [& it weighed:] 200 shekels, [according] to the king’s weight.

And 3 sons & 1 daughter were born to Absalom. [His daughter's] name was Tamar, & she was a [beautiful] woman. So, Absalom [lived] 2 full years in Jerusalem, [without seeing] the king’s face.

Therefore, Absalom sent for Joab [in order to] [send] him to the king, but [Joab] wouldn’t come to him. And when [Absalom] sent [for Joab a] 2nd time, he wouldn’t come.

Therefore, [Absalom] said to his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, & he [has] barley there. Go & set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Then, Joab arose, & came to [Absalom’s] house, & said to him, [Why] have your servants set my field on fire?

And Absalom answered Joab, [Look,] I sent to you, saying, Come [here,] so I may send you to the king, to say, [Why have] I come from Geshur? It [would] have been [better] for me to still [be] there.

Therefore, let me now see the king’s face, & if [there’s] any [guilt] in me, let him kill me. So, Joab [went] to the king, & told him. And when he called for Absalom, he came to the king, & bowed himself, [facing] the ground [in front of] the king, & the king kissed Absalom.