1   Joab son of Zeruiah saw that the king's heart was set on Absalom, so he sent to Tekoah and fetched a wise woman. 2   He said to her, ‘Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning, go without anointing yourself, and behave like a bereaved woman who has been long in mourning. 3   Then go to the king and repeat what I tell you.’ He then told her exactly what she was to say.

4   When the woman from Tekoah came into the king's presence, ^note she threw herself, face downwards, on the ground and did obeisance, and cried, ‘Help, your majesty!’ 5   The king asked, ‘What is it?’ She answered, ‘O sir, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6   I had two sons; they came to blows out in the country where there was no one to part them, and one of them struck the other and killed him. 7   Now, sir, the kinsmen have risen against me and they all cry, “Hand over the man who has killed his brother, so that we can put him to death for taking his brother's life, and so cut off the succession.” If they do this, they will stamp out my last live ember and leave my husband no name and no descendant upon earth.’ ^note 8   ‘Go home,’ said the king to the woman, ‘and I will settle your case.’ 9   But the woman continued, ‘The guilt be on me, your majesty, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be blameless.’ 10   The king said, ‘If anyone says anything more to you, bring him to me and he shall never molest you again.’ 11   Then the woman went on, ‘Let your majesty call upon the Lord your God, to prevent his kinsmen bound to vengeance from doing their worst and destroying my son.’

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts The king swore, ‘As the Lord lives, not a hair of your son's head shall fall to the ground.’

12   The woman then said, ‘May I add one word more, your majesty?’ 13   ‘Say on’, said the king. So she continued, ‘How then could it enter your head to do this same wrong to God's people? Out of your own mouth, your majesty, you condemn yourself: you have refused to bring back the man you have banished. 14   We shall all die; we shall be like water that is spilt on the ground and lost; but God will spare the man who does not set himself to keep the outlaw in banishment. 15    ^noteI came to say this to your majesty because the people have threatened me. I thought, “If I can only speak to the king, perhaps he will attend to my case; 16   for he will listen, and he will save me from the man who is seeking ^note to cut off me and my son together from Israel, God's own possession.” 17   I thought too that the words of my lord the king would be a comfort to me; for your majesty is like the angel of God and can decide between right and wrong. 18   The Lord your God be with you!’ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Tell me no lies: I shall now ask you a question.’ ‘Speak on, your majesty’, she said. 19   So he asked, ‘Is the hand of Joab behind you in all this?’ ‘Your life upon it, sir!’ she answered; ‘when your majesty asks a question, there is no way round it, right or left. Yes, your servant Joab did prompt me; it was he who put the whole story into my mouth. 20   He did it to give a new turn to this affair. Your majesty is as wise as the angel of God and knows all that goes on in the land.’

21   The king said to Joab, ‘You have my consent; go and fetch back the young man Absalom.’ 22   Then Joab humbly prostrated himself, took leave of the king with a blessing and said, ‘Now I know that I have found favour with your majesty, because you have granted my humble petition.’ 23   Joab went at once to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem, but the king said, ‘Let him go to his own quarters; 24   he shall not come into my presence.’ So Absalom went to his own quarters and did not enter the king's presence.

25   No one in all Israel was so greatly admired for his beauty as Absalom; he was without flaw from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot. 26   His hair, when he cut his hair (as he had to do every year, for he found it heavy), weighed two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 27   Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a very beautiful woman.

28   Absalom remained in Jerusalem for two whole years without entering the king's presence. 29   He summoned Joab to send a message by him to the king, but Joab refused to come; he sent for him a second time, but he still refused. 30   Then Absalom said to his servants, ‘You know that Joab

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts has a field next to mine with barley growing in it; go and set fire to it.’ 31   So Absalom's servants set fire to the field. Joab promptly came to Absalom in his own quarters and said to him, ‘Why have your servants set fire to my field?’ 32   Absalom answered Joab, ‘I had sent for you to come here, so that I could ask you to give the king this message from me: “Why did I leave Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there. Let me now come into your majesty's presence and, if I have done any wrong, put me to death.”’ 33   When Joab went to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom, who came and prostrated himself humbly before the king; and he greeted Absalom with a kiss.

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