וַיֵּ֖דַע יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרֻיָ֑ה כִּי־לֵ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ Joab son of Zeruiah could see that the king’s mind was on Absalom;
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יוֹאָב֙ תְּק֔וֹעָה וַיִּקַּ֥ח מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֣ה חֲכָמָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לֶ֠יהָ הִֽתְאַבְּלִי־נָ֞א וְלִבְשִׁי־נָ֣א בִגְדֵי־אֵ֗בֶל וְאַל־תָּס֙וּכִי֙ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְהָיִ֕ית כְּאִשָּׁ֗ה זֶ֚ה יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים מִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶת עַל־מֵֽת׃ so Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a clever woman from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; put on mourning clothes and don’t anoint yourself with oil; and act like a woman who has grieved a long time over a departed one.
וּבָאת֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְדִבַּ֥רְתְּ אֵלָ֖יו כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּ֧שֶׂם יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִֽיהָ׃ Go to the king and say to him thus and thus.” And Joab told her what to say.aLit. “and he put words into her mouth.”
וַ֠תֹּ֠אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתִּפֹּ֧ל עַל־אַפֶּ֛יהָ אַ֖רְצָה וַתִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַתֹּ֖אמֶר הוֹשִׁ֥עָה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ {ס} The woman of Tekoa camebSo many mss. and printed editions. Most mss. and printed editions read “said.” to the king, flung herself face down to the ground, and prostrated herself. She cried out, “Help, O king!”
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אֲבָ֛ל אִשָּֽׁה־אַלְמָנָ֥ה אָ֖נִי וַיָּ֥מׇת אִישִֽׁי׃ The king asked her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, “Alas, I am a widow, my husband is dead.
וּלְשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים וַיִּנָּצ֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל בֵּינֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּכּ֧וֹ הָאֶחָ֛ד אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד וַיָּ֥מֶת אֹתֽוֹ׃ Your maidservant had two sons. The two of them came to blows out in the fields where there was no one to stop them, and one of them struck the other and killed him.
וְהִנֵּה֩ קָ֨מָה כׇֽל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜ה עַל־שִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ תְּנִ֣י ׀ אֶת־מַכֵּ֣ה אָחִ֗יו וּנְמִתֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּנֶ֤פֶשׁ אָחִיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָרָ֔ג וְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָה גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַיּוֹרֵ֑שׁ וְכִבּ֗וּ אֶת־גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאָ֔רָה לְבִלְתִּ֧י (שום) [שִׂים־]לְאִישִׁ֛י שֵׁ֥ם וּשְׁאֵרִ֖ית עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ {פ}
Then the whole clan confronted your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother, that we may put him to death for the slaying of his brother, cEmendation yields “Thus they would destroy the [last] heir and…”even though we wipe out the heir.’-c Thus they would quench the last ember remaining to me, and leave my husband without name or remnant upon the earth.”
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ וַאֲנִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיִךְ׃ The king said to the woman, “Go home. I will issue an order in your behalf.”
וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקוֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עָלַ֞י אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ הֶעָוֺ֖ן וְעַל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וְכִסְא֖וֹ נָקִֽי׃ {ס} And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord king, may the guilt be on me and on my ancestral house; Your Majesty and his throne are guiltless.”
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ הַֽמְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ וַהֲבֵאת֣וֹ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹא־יֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לָגַ֥עַת בָּֽךְ׃ The king said, “If anyone says anything more to you, have him brought to me, and he will never trouble you again.”
וַתֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יִזְכׇּר־נָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (מהרבית) [מֵהַרְבַּ֞ת] גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ לְשַׁחֵ֔ת וְלֹ֥א יַשְׁמִ֖ידוּ אֶת־בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ חַי־יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־יִפֹּ֛ל מִשַּׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּנֵ֖ךְ אָֽרְצָה׃ She replied, “Let Your Majesty be mindful of the LORD your God and restrain the blood avenger bent on destruction, so that my son may not be killed.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, not a hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָאִשָּׁ֔ה תְּדַבֶּר־נָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָ֑ר וַיֹּ֖אמֶר דַּבֵּֽרִי׃ {ס} Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant say another word to my lord the king.” “Speak on,” said the king.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָאִשָּׁ֔ה וְלָ֧מָּה חָשַׁ֛בְתָּה כָּזֹ֖את עַל־עַ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וּמִדַּבֵּ֨ר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ כְּאָשֵׁ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֛י הָשִׁ֥יב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶֽת־נִדְּחֽוֹ׃ And the woman said, “Why then have you planned the like against God’s people? In making this pronouncement, Your Majesty condemns himself in that Your Majesty does not bring back his own banished one.
כִּי־מ֣וֹת נָמ֔וּת וְכַמַּ֙יִם֙ הַנִּגָּרִ֣ים אַ֔רְצָה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֣א יֵאָסֵ֑פוּ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׂ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ נֶ֔פֶשׁ וְחָשַׁב֙ מַחֲשָׁב֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֛י יִדַּ֥ח מִמֶּ֖נּוּ נִדָּֽח׃ We must all die; we are like water that is poured out on the ground and cannot be gathered up. dMeaning of Heb. uncertain. The apparent sense is: God will not punish you for bringing back the banished Absalom.God will not take away the life of one who makes plans so that no one may be kept banished.-d
וְ֠עַתָּ֠ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֜אתִי לְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲדֹנִי֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י יֵרְאֻ֖נִי הָעָ֑ם וַתֹּ֤אמֶר שִׁפְחָתְךָ֙ אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר אֲמָתֽוֹ׃ And the reason I have come to say these things to the king, my lord, is that the people have frightened me. Your maidservant thought I would speak to Your Majesty; perhaps Your Majesty would act on his handmaid’s plea.
כִּ֚י יִשְׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶת־אֲמָת֖וֹ מִכַּ֣ף הָאִ֑ישׁ לְהַשְׁמִ֨יד אֹתִ֤י וְאֶת־בְּנִי֙ יַ֔חַד מִֽנַּחֲלַ֖ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃ For Your Majesty would surely agree to deliver his handmaid from the hands of anyone [who would seek to] cut off both me and my son from the heritageeI.e., people. of God.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔ יִֽהְיֶה־נָּ֛א דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לִמְנֻחָ֑ה כִּ֣י ׀ כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַטּ֣וֹב וְהָרָ֔ע וַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃ {פ}
Your maidservant thought, ‘Let the word of my lord the king provide comfort; for my lord the king is like an angel of God, understanding everything, good and bad.’ May the LORD your God be with you.”
וַיַּ֣עַן הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַל־נָ֨א תְכַחֲדִ֤י מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י שֹׁאֵ֣ל אֹתָ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יְדַבֶּר־נָ֖א אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ In reply, the king said to the woman, “Do not withhold from me anything I ask you!” The woman answered, “Let my lord the king speak.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הֲיַ֥ד יוֹאָ֛ב אִתָּ֖ךְ בְּכׇל־זֹ֑את וַתַּ֣עַן הָאִשָּׁ֣ה וַתֹּ֡אמֶר חֵי־נַפְשְׁךָ֩ אֲדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אִם־אִ֣שׁ ׀ לְהֵמִ֣ין וּלְהַשְׂמִ֗יל מִכֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־עַבְדְּךָ֤ יוֹאָב֙ ה֣וּא צִוָּ֔נִי וְה֗וּא שָׂ֚ם בְּפִ֣י שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ The king asked, “Is Joab in league with you in all this?” The woman replied, “As you live, my lord the king, fLit. “there is no turning to the right or to the left of what my lord the king says.”it is just as my lord the king says.-f Yes, your servant Joab was the one who instructed me, and it was he who gSee note a above.told your maidservant everything she was to say.-g
לְבַעֲב֤וּר סַבֵּב֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י הַדָּבָ֔ר עָשָׂ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַאדֹנִ֣י חָכָ֗ם כְּחׇכְמַת֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לָדַ֖עַת אֶֽת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס} It was to conceal the real purpose of the matter that your servant Joab did this thing. My lord is as wise as an angel of God, and he knows all that goes on in the land.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב הִנֵּה־נָ֥א עָשִׂ֖יתִי אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְלֵ֛ךְ הָשֵׁ֥ב אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ Then the king said to Joab, “I will do this thing. Go and bring back my boy Absalom.”
וַיִּפֹּל֩ יוֹאָ֨ב אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אַ֛רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֡ב הַיּוֹם֩ יָדַ֨ע עַבְדְּךָ֜ כִּֽי־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר (עבדו) [עַבְדֶּֽךָ]׃ Joab flung himself face down on the ground and prostrated himself. Joab blessed the king and said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor with you, my lord king, for Your Majesty has granted his servant’s request.”
וַיָּ֥קׇם יוֹאָ֖ב וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּרָה וַיָּבֵ֥א אֶת־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם יְרֽוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס} And Joab went at once to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ יִסֹּ֣ב אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּסֹּ֤ב אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ וּפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ {ס} But the king said, “Let him go directly to his house and not present himself to me.” So Absalom went directly to his house and did not present himself to the king.
וּכְאַבְשָׁל֗וֹם לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה אִישׁ־יָפֶ֛ה בְּכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַלֵּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד מִכַּ֤ף רַגְלוֹ֙ וְעַ֣ד קׇדְקֳד֔וֹ לֹא־הָ֥יָה ב֖וֹ מֽוּם׃ No one in all Israel was so admired for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head he was without blemish.
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֒ וְֽ֠הָיָ֠ה מִקֵּ֨ץ יָמִ֤ים ׀ לַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְגַלֵּ֔חַ כִּי־כָבֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו וְגִלְּח֑וֹ וְשָׁקַל֙ אֶת־שְׂעַ֣ר רֹאשׁ֔וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם שְׁקָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥בֶן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ When he cut his hair—he had to have it cut every year, for it grew too heavy for him—the hair of his head weighed two hundred shekels by the royal weight.
וַיִּוָּלְד֤וּ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ שְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֔ים וּבַ֥ת אַחַ֖ת וּשְׁמָ֣הּ תָּמָ֑ר הִ֣יא הָֽיְתָ֔ה אִשָּׁ֖ה יְפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃ {פ}
Absalom had three sons and a daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without appearing before the king.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אַבְשָׁל֜וֹם אֶל־יוֹאָ֗ב לִשְׁלֹ֤חַ אֹתוֹ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לָב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח עוֹד֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לָבֽוֹא׃ Then Absalom sent for Joab, in order to send him to the king; but Joab would not come to him. He sent for him a second time, but he would not come.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָ֜יו רְאוּ֩ חֶלְקַ֨ת יוֹאָ֤ב אֶל־יָדִי֙ וְלוֹ־שָׁ֣ם שְׂעֹרִ֔ים לְכ֖וּ (והוצתיה) [וְהַצִּית֣וּהָ] בָאֵ֑שׁ וַיַּצִּ֜תוּ עַבְדֵ֧י אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם אֶת־הַחֶלְקָ֖ה בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ {פ}
So [Absalom] said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
וַיָּ֣קׇם יוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לָ֣מָּה הִצִּ֧יתוּ עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ אֶת־הַחֶלְקָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־לִ֖י בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ Joab came at once to Absalom’s house and said to him, “Why did your servants set fire to my field?”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם אֶל־יוֹאָ֡ב הִנֵּ֣ה שָׁלַ֣חְתִּי אֵלֶ֣יךָ ׀ לֵאמֹ֡ר בֹּ֣א הֵ֠נָּה וְאֶשְׁלְחָה֩ אֹתְךָ֨ אֶל־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֗ר לָ֤מָּה בָּ֙אתִי֙ מִגְּשׁ֔וּר ט֥וֹב לִ֖י עֹ֣ד אֲנִי־שָׁ֑ם וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶרְאֶה֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאִם־יֶשׁ־בִּ֥י עָוֺ֖ן וֶהֱמִתָֽנִי׃ Absalom replied to Joab, “I sent for you to come here; I wanted to send you to the king to say [on my behalf]: ‘Why did I leave Geshur? I would be better off if I were still there. Now let me appear before the king; and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death!’”
וַיָּבֹ֨א יוֹאָ֣ב אֶל־הַמֶּ֘לֶךְ֮ וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ ל֧וֹ עַל־אַפָּ֛יו אַ֖רְצָה לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ {ס} Joab went to the king and reported to him; whereupon he summoned Absalom. He came to the king and flung himself face down to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.