13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, 1 near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. 2 Let the king and his servants go with me.”
13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom 3 pressed 4 him, the king 5 was not willing to go. Instead, David 6 blessed him.
13:26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, 7 then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
13:28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk 8 and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” 9 13:29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
13:30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 13:31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
13:32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about 10 from the day that Amnon 11 humiliated his sister Tamar. 13:33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west 12 on a road beside the hill. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”
13:36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. 13 The king and all his servants wept loudly 14 as well. 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David 15 grieved over his son every day.
13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 13:39 The king longed 16 to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. 17
14:1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see 18 Absalom. 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning 19 and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 20 14:3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say. 21
14:4 So the Tekoan woman went 22 to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, 23 O king!” 14:5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” 24 She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 14:6 Your servant 25 has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 14:7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death 26 of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, 27 leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
14:8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 28 14:9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”
14:10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 14:11 She replied, “In that case, 29 let the king invoke the name of 30 the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head 31 will fall to the ground.”
14:12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 14:13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14:14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. 32 14:15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. 33 But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant 34 asks. 14:16 Yes! 35 The king may 36 listen and deliver his female servant 37 from the hand of the man who seeks to remove 38 both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 39 14:17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”
14:18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!” 14:19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” 40 The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.” 41
14:21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I 42 will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom! 14:22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked 43 the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your 44 servant!”
14:23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 45 14:24 But the king said, “Let him go over 46 to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over 47 to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.