Joab Brings Absalom Back to Jerusalem
14 1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king's heart longed for Absalom. 2 Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there. He told her, "Please pretend to mourn: wear mourning clothes, don't put on oil, and act like a woman who has mourned the dead many days." 3 "Go to the king and speak these words to him." Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 The woman of Tekoa came to the king, fell facedown to the ground in homage, and said, "Help, king!"
5 The king asked her, "What's wrong?" She said, "I am a widow; my husband died."
6 Your servant had two sons. They fought in the field, no one to stop them, and one killed the other. 7 The whole clan has risen against your servant, saying, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother; we will put him to death for the brother he killed, and destroy the heir too.' They want to put out my last ember, leaving my husband no name or survivor on earth.
8 The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue orders on your behalf."
9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord the king, let the guilt be on me and my father's house; may the king and his throne be innocent."
10 The king said, "Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me — he won't touch you again."
11 She said, "Please let the king remember your Father, so the avenger of blood adds no more destruction, and my son isn't destroyed." He said, "As our Father lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground." a a v11 The avenger of blood was a kinsman charged by custom with executing the killer of a family member.
12 The woman said, "Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king." He said, "Speak."
13 The woman said, "Why then have you planned this against the people of our Father? In saying this, the king condemns himself, since he hasn't brought back his own banished one." 14 We will surely die, like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered again. But our Father doesn't take life—he plans ways so the banished aren't kept from him. b b v14 Even here, our Father is shown devising ways to bring the banished one home rather than taking life — the same heart that pursues every exile back to himself. 15 Now I've come to say this to my lord the king because the people frightened me. Your servant thought: Let me speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant's request. 16 Perhaps the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from the inheritance of our Father.' 17 Your servant thought: 'Let my lord the king's word bring rest, for my lord the king is like an angel of our Father, discerning good and evil. May your Father be with you.'
18 The king said to the woman, "Don't hide from me anything I ask you." She said, "Let my lord the king speak."
19 The king asked, "Is Joab's hand behind all this?" The woman answered, "As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn right or left from anything my lord the king said. Your servant Joab commanded me; he put these words in your servant's mouth."
20 Your servant Joab did this to change how things look. But my lord is as wise as an angel of our Father, knowing all that is in the land.
21 Then the king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do this. Go, bring back the young man Absalom."
22 Joab fell facedown to the ground, bowed, and blessed the king. "Today your servant knows I have found favor in your eyes, my lord the king," he said, "for the king has granted his servant's request."
23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 The king said, "He must go to his house, but must not see my face." So Absalom went to his house and did not see the king's face. 25 In all Israel no one was praised for beauty like Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, he had no defect. 26 Whenever he shaved his head — he shaved it every year, since it grew heavy on him — he weighed the hair of his head: two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem two full years without seeing the king's face. 29 Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. He sent again, a second time, but Joab still refused to come. 30 Absalom told his servants, "Look, Joab's field borders mine, and he has barley there. Go, burn it." So Absalom's servants burned the field.
31 Joab got up, went to Absalom's house, and asked, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"
32 Absalom answered Joab, "I sent you word: 'Come here, so I can send you to ask the king why I came from Geshur — better I'd stayed there.' Now let me see the king's face; if I'm guilty of anything, let him kill me."
33 Joab went to the king and told him. The king summoned Absalom, who came in and bowed with his face to the ground before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
