king doth not bring home again his banished.
14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not driven out from him. [1]
15 Now therefore that I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak to 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 from the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
17 Then thy handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comforting: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee. [2] [3]
18 Then the king answered and said to 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 the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from any thing that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he ordered me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid:
20 To bring about this change of affairs hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are on the earth.
21 And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant. [4] [5]
23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. [6]
26 And when he cut the hair of his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he cut it : because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he cut it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.
27 And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, that he might send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.
30 Therefore he said to his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. [7]
31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my field on fire?
32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me had I been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there is any iniquity in me, let him kill me.
33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
CHAP. 15.
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel. [8]
3 And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear thee. [9]
4 Absalom said moreover, O that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any man came near to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.
- ↑ neither...: or, because God hath not taken away his life, he hath also devised means, etc
- ↑ comfortable: Heb. for rest
- ↑ to discern: Heb. to hear
- ↑ thanked: Heb. blessed
- ↑ his servant: or, thy servant
- ↑ But...: Heb. And as Absalom there was not a beautiful man in all Israel to praise greatly
- ↑ near...: Heb. near my place
- ↑ came: Heb. to come
- ↑ there...: or, none will hear thee from the king downward
