Joab

12One day Abner son of Ner marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. Ish-bosheth's men went with him.

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men marched out too. The two groups met at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down on opposite sides of the water.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

NoteJoab was David's nephew. His mother, Zeruiah, was David's sister. A pool was a big tank of water dug for a town to use.

14Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men get up and fight in front of us." Joab said, "Let them get up."

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

NoteThe King James says "play" here. It does not mean a game. It means young men fighting while the others watched.

15So they were counted off. Twelve men came for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth. Twelve men came for David.

Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16Each man grabbed the other man's head. Each one pushed his sword into the other man's side. They all fell down dead together. So that place in Gibeon got the name Helkath-hazzurim.

And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

NoteThe name Helkath-hazzurim means "field of sharp swords."

17There was a hard battle that day. Abner and the men of Israel lost to David's men.

And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there. They were Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel could run as fast as a wild deer.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

NoteThe King James calls Asahel "light of foot as a wild roe." A roe is a kind of deer. It can run very fast.

19Asahel chased after Abner. He did not turn left or right. He just kept after Abner.

And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" Asahel said, "Yes, it is."

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

21Abner said, "Turn to your right or your left. Go after one of the young men and take his weapons." But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

NoteAfter a fight, winners took the weapons of the men they beat. Abner was telling Asahel to go chase someone easier.

22Abner said again, "Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you down? Then how could I look your brother Joab in the face?"

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

NoteJoab was Asahel's older brother. Abner did not want Joab angry at him forever.

23But Asahel would not turn away. So Abner shoved the back end of his spear into Asahel's stomach. It came out his back. He fell and died right there. Every man who came to that spot stopped and stood still.

Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

NoteA spear is a long stick with a sharp point on one end. Abner hit him with the blunt back end instead.

24But Joab and Abishai kept chasing Abner. The sun was going down when they reached the hill of Ammah. It is near Giah, on the road to the dry land of Gibeon.

Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

Note"Dry land" here means empty country with few plants and no towns.

25The men of Benjamin gathered around Abner. They formed one group. They stood together on top of a hill.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

26Then Abner called out to Joab. He said, "Must we keep killing each other forever? Don't you know this will end in sadness? How long until you tell your men to stop chasing their own brothers?"

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

NoteBoth armies were Israelites, one people. That is why Abner calls them brothers.

27Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, my men would have kept chasing their brothers until morning."

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

Note"As God lives" was a strong promise. It meant "I am telling the truth."

28So Joab blew a horn. All the men stopped. They did not chase Israel anymore, and they did not fight anymore.

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

NoteThe horn was made from a ram's horn. Blowing it was the signal for soldiers to stop.

29Abner and his men walked all that night through the flat land. They crossed the Jordan River. They kept going and came to Mahanaim.

And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

NoteThe Jordan is the big river running through that land. The flat land is the low ground beside the river.

30Joab came back from chasing Abner. He gathered all his men together. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's men were missing.

And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

31But David's men had killed three hundred and sixty of Abner's men from Benjamin.

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

32They carried Asahel away and buried him in his father's grave in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men walked all night. They reached Hebron as the sun came up.

And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

NoteA grave then was often a small cave cut in rock. A whole family was buried in the same one. Bethlehem was the town David grew up in.

22Just then Joab and David's soldiers came back from a raid. Joab was the leader of David's army. They brought back many things they had taken. Abner was not with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away in peace.

And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

NoteArmies then took food, animals, and goods from their enemies. That was part of how soldiers were paid.

23When Joab and all his soldiers arrived, someone told him the news. "Abner son of Ner came to the king. The king sent him away, and he left in peace."

When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you send him away? Now he has gotten clean away!"

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25"You know Abner son of Ner. He came to trick you. He came to learn where you go and everything you do."

Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

26Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought Abner back from the well of Sirah. David did not know about it.

And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

NoteThe well of Sirah was a water well beside the road. It was a short way outside Hebron.

27When Abner came back to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway. He acted as if he wanted to talk quietly. There Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Joab did it to pay Abner back for killing his brother Asahel.

And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

NoteA town gate was a wide doorway where people met and talked. In those days, if a man was killed, his family was expected to pay the killer back. Joab was doing that for his brother Asahel.

28Later David heard what had happened. He said, "I did not kill Abner son of Ner. The LORD knows my kingdom and I are not guilty of his death, now or ever."

And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

29"Let the blame fall on Joab and on all his father's family. May Joab's family always have someone who is sick and does not get well, or has a bad skin disease. May some need a stick to walk. May some die by the sword. May some go hungry."

Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

NotePeople then stayed away from anyone with a bad skin disease. So being sick that way meant living apart from friends and family.

30Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner. They did it because Abner had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31David said to Joab and to all the people with him, "Tear your clothes. Put on rough, scratchy cloth. Cry for Abner." King David himself walked behind the bed that carried Abner's body.

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

NoteTearing your clothes and wearing rough cloth showed deep sadness. Everyone who saw you knew you were grieving.

32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried out loud at Abner's grave. All the people cried too.

And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33The king sang a sad song for Abner. He sang, "Should Abner have died the way a foolish man dies?"

And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

NoteA fool here means someone who did wrong and got what he deserved. David is saying Abner did not deserve this.

34"Your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. You fell the way a man falls to wicked men." And all the people cried for Abner again.

Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

NotePrisoners had their hands and feet tied with chains. Abner was not a prisoner. He was killed by a trick.

35It was still daytime. The people came and begged David to eat something. But David made a promise. He said, "May God punish me if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down."

And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

NoteGoing without food showed people how sad you were. That is called fasting. In the King James Bible, the word "meat" means any food, not just meat from animals.

36All the people saw what David did, and it made them glad. In fact, everything the king did made the people glad.

And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

37That day all the soldiers and all Israel understood one thing clearly. The king had not asked anyone to kill Abner son of Ner.

For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

38The king said to his servants, "Do you not see what happened today? A leader and a great man has died in Israel."

And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39"Today I feel weak, even though I have been chosen as king. These men, Joab and Abishai, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May the LORD pay back the man who does evil for the evil he does."

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

NoteAnointed means oil was poured on his head. That showed God had chosen him to be king. Zeruiah was David's sister, so Joab and Abishai were David's nephews.

6The people of Ammon knew David was very angry with them. So they paid soldiers to fight for them. They hired twenty thousand walking soldiers from the Syrians of Bethrehob and Zoba. They hired a thousand men from the king of Maacah. They hired twelve thousand men from Ishtob.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

NoteThe old words say the men of Ammon "stank" before David. That was a way of saying he could not stand them anymore. The Syrians lived north of Israel. Kings could pay soldiers from other lands to come and fight for them.

7David heard about this. He sent out Joab, his army leader, with all his best fighters.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

NoteJoab was the leader of David's whole army. He was also David's nephew.

8The soldiers of Ammon came out and lined up by the city gate. The Syrians from Zoba and Rehob, and the men from Ishtob and Maacah, stood apart in the open field.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9Joab saw that enemies were in front of him and behind him. So he picked out the best fighters in Israel. He lined them up to face the Syrians.

When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

10He put the rest of the men under his brother Abishai. Abishai lined them up to face the soldiers of Ammon.

And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

11Joab said to his brother, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, come and help me. If the men of Ammon are too strong for you, I will come and help you.

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

12Be brave. Let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what he thinks is best."

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

NoteThe old words say "let us play the men." That did not mean a game. It meant, act brave and strong.

13Then Joab and his men moved forward to fight the Syrians. The Syrians ran away from them.

And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

14The men of Ammon saw the Syrians run away. So they ran away from Abishai too. They went back inside their city. Then Joab stopped fighting Ammon and went home to Jerusalem.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

14The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab. He sent the letter with Uriah, who carried it himself.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

NoteUriah carried the letter himself and did not know what it said. Letters were folded and sealed shut with wax. Most people could not read, so a sealed letter stayed secret.

15The letter said, "Put Uriah at the front, where the fighting is hardest. Then pull the other men back from him. Let him be struck down and killed."

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16Joab was watching the city carefully. He put Uriah in the spot where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers were.

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17The men of the city came out and fought against Joab. Some of David's soldiers were killed. Uriah the Hittite was killed too.

And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18Then Joab sent a messenger to tell David everything about the fighting.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

NoteA messenger was a person who carried news by walking or running. There were no phones or letters that traveled fast.

19Joab told the messenger what to do. He said, "First tell the king all about the battle."

And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

20"The king may get angry. He may ask you, 'Why did you fight so close to the city? Didn't you know they shoot arrows from the top of the wall?'"

And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

NoteCities had tall thick walls around them for safety. Men stood on top and shot arrows down at enemies.

21"'Remember Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth. A woman dropped a heavy grinding stone on him from a wall. He died in the town of Thebez. So why did you go near the wall?' If the king says that, tell him, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.'"

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

NoteAbimelech was a leader in Israel long before David. Everyone knew that old story. A millstone is a heavy round stone used to crush grain into flour. It takes two hands to lift one. Jerubbesheth is another name for Abimelech's father, Gideon.

22So the messenger went to David. He told him everything Joab had sent him to say.

So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23The messenger said, "Their men were stronger and came out at us in the open field. But we pushed them back to the gate of the city."

And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

NoteA city wall had one big gate that could be shut. Pushing enemies back to the gate meant pushing them all the way home.

24"Then men on top of the wall shot arrows at your soldiers. Some of the king's men were killed. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too."

And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

25David said to the messenger, "Tell Joab this: 'Do not let this upset you. A sword kills one man as easily as another. Fight harder against the city and tear it down.' Tell Joab to keep his courage."

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

26Joab fought against Rabbah, a city of the Ammonites. He captured the part where the king lived.

And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

NoteJoab was the leader of David's whole army. The Ammonites were a people who lived next to Israel. Rabbah was their biggest city.

27Joab sent messengers to David with this word. "I have fought against Rabbah. I have taken the part of the city that holds the water."

And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

NoteEvery city needed a spring or well for water. If you took the water, the city could not hold out long.

28"Now bring the rest of the soldiers here. Camp around the city and take it. If I take it, the city will be named after me."

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

NoteWhoever captured a city got the honor for it. Joab wanted the king to get that honor, not himself.

29So David gathered all his soldiers together. He went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.

And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

30David took the crown off their king's head. It was made of gold and had costly stones in it. It weighed about seventy-five pounds. They set it on David's head. David also carried away many valuable things from the city.

And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

NoteThe crown weighed about as much as a big dog. It was too heavy to wear for long. Putting it on David's head showed he now ruled that land.

31David brought out the people who lived there. He put them to work with saws and iron picks and axes. He made them work at the brick ovens. He did the same thing in all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all his soldiers went back to Jerusalem.

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

NoteThese people were made to do hard work for David. Brick ovens were huge hot fires that baked mud into bricks.

1Joab was the son of Zeruiah. Joab could tell that the king missed his son Absalom.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

NoteAbsalom was David's son. He had killed his brother Amnon and run away. Joab was the leader of David's army.

2So Joab sent to the town of Tekoah for a wise woman. He said to her, "Please pretend that someone you love has died. Put on the clothes people wear when they are sad. Do not rub oil on your skin. Look like a woman who has been sad for a long time."

And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

NoteTekoah was a small town south of Jerusalem, a day's walk away.

3"Then go to the king and say what I tell you." Joab told her exactly what words to use.

And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

NoteA wise woman was someone people trusted to speak well and give good advice. People also rubbed olive oil on their skin, like lotion. Sad people stopped doing it, so everyone could tell they were mourning.

4The woman from Tekoah came to the king. She bowed with her face to the ground to show respect. She said, "Help me, O king!"

And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

5The king asked her, "What is wrong?" She said, "My husband died. I am a widow, a woman whose husband is gone."

And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

NoteThe woman's whole story is made up. Joab taught it to her so the king would listen.

6"I had two sons. They got into a fight out in the field. No one was there to pull them apart. One son hit the other and killed him."

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

7"Now my whole family has turned against me. They say, 'Hand over the son who killed his brother. We will put him to death to pay for his brother's life.' They would take away the son who gets what our family owns. That would put out the last little spark I have left. My husband would have no name and no family left on earth."

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

NoteLong ago, if a man died, his sons kept his family name going. If both sons died, the family name would stop. A spark was the last bit of a fire. She means her family is almost gone.

8The king said to the woman, "Go home. I will give an order about your case."

And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9The woman of Tekoah said, "My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and my father's family. Let the king and his throne be free of blame."

And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

NoteA throne is the special chair a king sits on. Here it means the king himself.

10The king said, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me. He will not bother you again."

And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11Then she said, "Please ask the LORD your God to stop this. Do not let the family member who pays back a killing kill anyone else. Then my son will not be destroyed." The king said, "As surely as the LORD lives, not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground."

Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

NoteBack then, if someone was killed, a family member could go after the killer. People called that person the avenger of blood. Saying "As surely as the LORD lives" was a strong promise, like saying "I really mean it."

12Then the woman said, "Please let me say one more thing to my lord the king." He said, "Go ahead."

Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13The woman said, "Then why have you planned this same kind of thing against God's people? When the king says this, he shows he is in the wrong. He has not brought his own son home from far away."

And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

NoteShe means Absalom. He was sent away to another country and never brought home.

14"We all must die. We are like water poured on the ground, which cannot be picked up again. God does not treat one person as better than another. Still he finds ways to bring back the one who was sent away, so that person is not kept away from him."

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 expelled from him.

15"I came to speak to my lord the king because the people made me afraid. I said to myself, 'I will talk to the king. Maybe he will do what I ask.'"

Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16"I hoped the king would listen and save me. A man wants to destroy both me and my son. He would cut us off from the land God gave our family."

For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

NoteEach family in Israel had its own piece of land. Losing that land meant losing your place among God's people.

17"So I said, the word of my lord the king will bring me rest. My king can tell good from bad, like an angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you."

Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: 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.

NoteAn angel is a messenger sent from God. People thought angels always knew right from wrong.

18Then the king said to the woman, "I am going to ask you something. Do not hide the answer from me." The woman said, "Let my lord the king ask."

Then the king answered and said unto 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.

19The king said, "Is Joab helping you with all this?" The woman answered, "As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can get around what you say. Yes, your servant Joab told me to come. He gave me every word to say."

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 ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

20"Joab did this to change the way things are. My lord is wise, like an angel of God is wise. You know everything that happens in the land."

To fetch about this form of speech 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 in the earth.

21The king said to Joab, "All right, I will do this. Go and bring the young man Absalom back."

And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

22Joab bowed with his face to the ground and thanked the king. He said, "Today I know you are pleased with me, my lord the king. You have done what I asked."

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.

23So Joab got up and went to Geshur. He brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

NoteGeshur was a small kingdom far to the north. Absalom's grandfather was king there.

24But the king said, "Let him go to his own house. He must not see my face." So Absalom went home and did not see the king.

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.

NoteSeeing the king's face meant being allowed to visit him. Absalom could come home, but not see his father.

28Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two whole years. In all that time he never saw the king's face.

So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.

29Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But Joab would not come. Absalom sent a second time, and Joab still would not come.

Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

30So Absalom said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine. He has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire." And his servants set the field on fire.

Therefore he said unto 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.

NoteBarley is a grain, like wheat. People ground it up to make bread. Burning the field destroyed food that the family needed.

31Then Joab got up and went to Absalom's house. He asked, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

32Absalom said, "I sent for you to come here. I wanted you to ask the king something for me. Why did I come back from Geshur? It would be better if I had stayed there. Now let me see the king's face. If I have done wrong, let him kill me."

And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33So Joab went to the king and told him. The king sent for Absalom. Absalom came and bowed with his face to the ground. And the king kissed Absalom.

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.

NoteA kiss was how family and friends greeted each other. It showed Absalom was welcome again.