2nd Shamu'AL (2 Samuel) — 14

Yuab Arranges for Absalum’s Return

1 Yuab realized how much the king longed to see Absalum. 

2 So he sent for a woman from Takua who had a reputation for great wisdom, he said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and do not put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. 

3 Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Yuab told her what to say.

4 When the woman from Takua approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, “O king! Help me!”

5 “And the king asked her; What is the trouble? She replied “Alas, I am a widow! “My husband is dead. 

6 My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. 

7 Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother, he did not deserve to inherit his family’s property.’ They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the Arath.”

8 “Leave it to me,” the king told her. “Go home, and I’ll see to it that no one touches him.”

9 “Oh, thank you, my master the king,” the woman from Takua replied. “If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.”

10 “the king said; If anyone objects, “bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm you again!”

11 Then she said, “Please swear to me by  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH that you will not let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed. And king Daud replied her“ As surely as  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH lives, “not a hair on your son’s head will be disturbed!”

12 “Please allow me to ask one more thing of my master the king,” she said. Daud said to her “Go ahead and speak,”.

13 And she said, “Why do you not do as much for the people of 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. 

14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But our  𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

15 “I have come to plead with my master the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, ‘Perhaps the king will listen to me 

16 and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  has given us. 

17 Yes, my master the king will give us Shalum of mind again.’ I know that you are like a Malak of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in discerning good from evil. May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your  𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH be with you.”

18 “And the king said to her; I must know one thing, tell me the truth.” she replied; Yes, my master the king,”

19 “King Daud asked her; Did Yuab put you up to this?” And the woman replied, “My master the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Yuab sent me and told me what to say. 

20 He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as a Malak of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

21 So the king sent for Yuab and told him, “All right, go and bring back the young man Absalum.”

22 Yuab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, “At last I know that I have gained your approval, my master the king, for you have granted me this request!”

23 Then Yuab went to Gashur and brought Absalum back to Yahushalam. 

24 But the king gave this order: “Absalum may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalum did not see the king.

Absalum Reconciled to Daud

25 Now Absalum was praised as the most handsome man in all Yashar'AL, he was flawless from head to foot. 

26 He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds! 

27 He had three sons and one daughter, his daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

28 Absalum lived in Yahushalam for two years, but he never got to see the king. 

29 Then Absalum sent for Yuab to ask him to intercede for him, but Yuab refused to come. Absalum sent for him a second time, but again Yuab refused to come. 

30 So Absalum said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Yuab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalum had commanded.

31 Then Yuab came to Absalum at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

32 And Absalum replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Gashur if he did not intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”

33 So Yuab told the king what Absalum had said. Then at last Daud summoned Absalum, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.