Absalom’s Return to Jerusalem
וַיֵּ֖דַע יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרֻיָ֑ה כִּֽי־לֵ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יוֹאָב֙ תְּק֔וֹעָה וַיִּקַּ֥ח מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֣ה חֲכָמָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לֶיהָ הִֽתְאַבְּלִי־נָ֞א וְלִבְשִׁי־נָ֣א בִגְדֵי־אֵ֗בֶל וְאַל־תָּס֙וּכִי֙ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְהָיִ֕ית כְּאִשָּׁ֗ה זֶ֚ה יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים מִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶת עַל־מֵֽת׃
So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.
וּבָאת֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְדִבַּ֥רְתְּ אֵלָ֖יו כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּ֧שֶׂם יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִֽיהָ׃
Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.
וַ֠תֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתִּפֹּ֧ל עַל־אַפֶּ֛יהָ אַ֖רְצָה וַתִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַתֹּ֖אמֶר הוֹשִׁ֥עָה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס
When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell facedown in homage and said, “Help me, O king!”
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אֲבָ֛ל אִשָּֽׁה־אַלְמָנָ֥ה אָ֖נִי וַיָּ֥מָת אִישִֽׁי׃
“What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.
וּלְשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים וַיִּנָּצ֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל בֵּֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּכּ֧וֹ הָאֶחָ֛ד אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד וַיָּ֥מֶת אֹתֽוֹ׃
And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
וְהִנֵּה֩ קָ֨מָה כָֽל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜ה עַל־שִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ תְּנִ֣י׀ אֶת־מַכֵּ֣ה אָחִ֗יו וּנְמִתֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּנֶ֤פֶשׁ אָחִיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָרָ֔ג וְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָה גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַיּוֹרֵ֑שׁ וְכִבּ֗וּ אֶת־גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאָ֔רָה לְבִלְתִּ֧י שִׂים לְאִישִׁ֛י שֵׁ֥ם וּשְׁאֵרִ֖ית עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פ
Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ וַאֲנִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיִךְ׃
“Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.”
וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקוֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עָלַ֞י אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ הֶעָוֹ֖ן וְעַל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וְכִסְא֖וֹ נָקִֽי׃ ס
But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and on my father’s house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ הַֽמְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ וַֽהֲבֵאת֣וֹ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹֽא־יֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לָגַ֥עַת בָּֽךְ׃
“If anyone speaks to you,” said the king, “bring him to me, and he will not trouble you again!”
וַתֹּאמֶר֩ יִזְכָּר־נָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ מֵהַרְבַּ֞ת גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ לְשַׁחֵ֔ת וְלֹ֥א יַשְׁמִ֖ידוּ אֶת־בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־יִפֹּ֛ל מִשַּׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּנֵ֖ךְ אָֽרְצָה׃
“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה תְּדַבֶּר־נָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דָּבָ֑ר וַיֹּ֖אמֶר דַּבֵּֽרִי׃ ס
Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְלָ֧מָּה חָשַׁ֛בְתָּה כָּזֹ֖את עַל־עַ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וּמִדַּבֵּ֨ר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ כְּאָשֵׁ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֛י הָשִׁ֥יב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶֽת־נִדְּחֽוֹ׃
The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son?
כִּי־מ֣וֹת נָמ֔וּת וְכַמַּ֙יִם֙ הַנִּגָּרִ֣ים אַ֔רְצָה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֣א יֵאָסֵ֑פוּ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׂ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ נֶ֔פֶשׁ וְחָשַׁב֙ מַֽחֲשָׁב֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֛י יִדַּ֥ח מִמֶּ֖נּוּ נִדָּֽח׃
For we will surely die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life, but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.
וְ֠עַתָּה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֜אתִי לְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲדֹנִי֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י יֵֽרְאֻ֖נִי הָעָ֑ם וַתֹּ֤אמֶר שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר אֲמָתֽוֹ׃
Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.
כִּ֚י יִשְׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶת־אֲמָת֖וֹ מִכַּ֣ף הָאִ֑ישׁ לְהַשְׁמִ֨יד אֹתִ֤י וְאֶת־בְּנִי֙ יַ֔חַד מִֽנַּחֲלַ֖ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃
For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔ יִֽהְיֶה־נָּ֛א דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לִמְנוּחָ֑ה כִּ֣י׀ כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַטּ֣וֹב וְהָרָ֔ע וַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃ פ
And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the angel of God. 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׃
Then the king said to the woman, “I am going to ask you something; do not conceal it from me!” “Let my lord the king speak,” she replied.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הֲיַ֥ד יוֹאָ֛ב אִתָּ֖ךְ בְּכָל־זֹ֑את וַתַּ֣עַן הָאִשָּׁ֣ה וַתֹּ֡אמֶר חֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֩ אֲדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אִם־אִ֣שׁ׀ לְהֵמִ֣ין וּלְהַשְׂמִ֗יל מִכֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־עַבְדְּךָ֤ יוֹאָב֙ ה֣וּא צִוָּ֔נִי וְה֗וּא שָׂ֚ם בְּפִ֣י שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say.
לְבַעֲב֤וּר סַבֵּב֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י הַדָּבָ֔ר עָשָׂ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַאדֹנִ֣י חָכָ֗ם כְּחָכְמַת֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לָדַ֖עַת אֶֽת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ ס
Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that happens 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 hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
וַיִּפֹּל֩ יוֹאָ֨ב אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אַ֛רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֡ב הַיּוֹם֩ יָדַ֨ע עַבְדְּךָ֜ כִּי־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
Joab fell facedown in homage and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his request.”
וַיָּ֥קָם יוֹאָ֖ב וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּרָה וַיָּבֵ֥א אֶת־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ
So Joab got up, went 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 added, “He may return to his house, but he must not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the face of the king.
וּכְאַבְשָׁל֗וֹם לֹא־הָיָ֧ה אִישׁ־יָפֶ֛ה בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַלֵּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד מִכַּ֤ף רַגְלוֹ֙ וְעַ֣ד קָדְקֳד֔וֹ לֹא־הָ֥יָה ב֖וֹ מֽוּם׃
Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֒ וְֽ֠הָיָה מִקֵּ֨ץ יָמִ֤ים׀ לַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְגַלֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו וְגִלְּח֑וֹ וְשָׁקַל֙ אֶת־שְׂעַ֣ר רֹאשׁ֔וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם שְׁקָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥בֶן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard.
וַיִּֽוָּלְד֤וּ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ שְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֔ים וּבַ֥ת אַחַ֖ת וּשְׁמָ֣הּ תָּמָ֑ר הִ֣יא הָיְתָ֔ה אִשָּׁ֖ה יְפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃ פ
Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.
Absalom Reconciled to David
וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃
Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אַבְשָׁל֜וֹם אֶל־יוֹאָ֗ב לִשְׁלֹ֤חַ אֹתוֹ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לָב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח עוֹד֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לָבֽוֹא׃
Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָ֜יו רְאוּ֩ חֶלְקַ֨ת יוֹאָ֤ב אֶל־יָדִי֙ וְלוֹ־שָׁ֣ם שְׂעֹרִ֔ים לְכ֖וּ וְהַצִּית֣וּהָ בָאֵ֑שׁ וַיַּצִּ֜תוּ עַבְדֵ֧י אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם אֶת־הַחֶלְקָ֖ה בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פ
Then 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.
וַיָּ֣קָם יוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לָ֣מָּה הִצִּ֧יתוּ עֲבָדֶ֛ךָ אֶת־הַחֶלְקָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־לִ֖י בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
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 עָוֹ֖ן וֶהֱמִתָֽנִי׃
“Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”
וַיָּבֹ֨א יוֹאָ֣ב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ ל֧וֹ עַל־אַפָּ֛יו אַ֖רְצָה לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ פ
So Joab went and told the king, and David summoned Absalom, who came to him and bowed facedown before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.