2 Samuel 14:2
New International Version
So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.

New Living Translation
So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don’t put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.

English Standard Version
And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.

New American Standard Bible
So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days.

NASB 1995
So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

NASB 1977
So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

Legacy Standard Bible
So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

Amplified Bible
So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there and told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning clothes, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has for many days been in mourning for the dead.

Christian Standard Bible
So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning: dress in mourning clothes and don’t put on any oil. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to bring a clever woman from there. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning: dress in mourning clothes and don’t put on any oil. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yuab sent to Teqoa and he took from there a wise woman and he said to her: “Make lamentation and wear a garment of mourning and you shall not anoint yourself with oil, and be like a woman who has been mourning now many days over one who is dead

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joab sent to Thecoe, and took thence a cunning woman, and said to her, Mourn, I pray thee, and put on mourning apparel, and anoint thee not with oil, and thou shalt be as a woman mourning for one that is dead thus for many days.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Sent to Thecua, and fetched from thence a wise woman: and said to her: Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and be not anointed with oil, that thou mayest be as a woman that had a long time been mourning for one dead.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So Joab sent [someone] to Tekoa to get a clever woman from there. He told her, "Please act like a mourner, and dress in mourning clothes. Don't rub olive oil on yourself, but act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.

Good News Translation
so he sent for a clever woman who lived in Tekoa. When she arrived, he said to her, "Pretend that you are in mourning; put on your mourning clothes, and don't comb your hair. Act like a woman who has been in mourning for a long time.

International Standard Version
so he sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, "Please play the role of a mourner, wear the clothes of a mourner, and refrain from using makeup. Act like a woman who's been in mourning for the dead for many days.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her: 'I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead;

Literal Standard Version
and Joab sends to Tekoah, and takes a wise woman from there, and says to her, “Please feign yourself a mourner, and now put on garments of mourning, and do not anoint yourself with oil, and you have been as a woman mourning for the dead [for] these many days,

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, to whom he said: “Pretend to be in mourning. Put on mourning apparel and do not anoint yourself with oil, that you may appear to be a woman who has long been mourning someone dead.

NET Bible
So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, "Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don't anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.

New Revised Standard Version
Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning garments, do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead.

New Heart English Bible
Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, "Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and brought thence a wise woman, and said to 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:

World English Bible
Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil; but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

Young's Literal Translation
and Joab sendeth to Tekoah, and taketh thence a wise woman, and saith unto her, 'Feign thyself a mourner, I pray thee, and put on, I pray thee, garments of mourning, and anoint not thyself with oil, and thou hast been as a woman these many days mourning for the dead,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom's Return to Jerusalem
1Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. 2So 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. 3Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 12:20
Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate.

2 Samuel 20:16
a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him."

2 Samuel 23:26
Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

1 Kings 14:2
and Jeroboam said to his wife, "Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people.

1 Kings 14:5
But the LORD had said to Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. You are to say such and such to her, because when she arrives, she will be disguised."

2 Chronicles 11:6
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

Amos 1:1
These are the words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders of Tekoa--what he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, in the days when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

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

2 Chronicles 11:6
He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

2 Chronicles 20:20
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

Nehemiah 3:5,27
And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord…

Tekoa

2 Samuel 11:26
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

Ruth 3:3
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

Psalm 104:15
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

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2 Samuel 14
1. Joab, suborning a widow of Tekoah to incline the king's heart to fetch Absalom,
21. brings him home to Jerusalem
25. Absalom's beauty, hair, and children
28. After two years, Absalom is brought into the king's presence by Joab














(2) Tekoah.--A village on a high hill five miles south of Bethlehem, the home of the prophet Amos. It was also the native place of Ira, one of David's thirty heroes (2Samuel 23:26), and was near enough to Bethlehem, the home of Joab, for him to have had personal knowledge of this "wise woman." There is no ground whatever for suspecting her of being a "witch," or in any way disreputable.

The parable that follows was contrived by Joab, yet also required skill and address on the part of the woman. It is purposely made not too closely parallel to the case of Absalom, lest it should defeat its own object. In general it needs no comment.

Verse 2. - Tekoah. This town, famous as the birthplace of the Prophet Amos, lay upon the borders of the great wilderness southeast of Jerusalem. As it was only five miles to the south of Bethlehem, Joab's birthplace, he had probably often heard tales of this woman's intelligence; and, though he contrived the parable himself, yet it would need tact and adroitness on the woman's part to give the tale with tragic effect, and answer the king's questions with all the signs of genuine emotion. If her acting was bad, the king would see through the plot, and only by great skill would his heart be so moved as to three him to some such expression of feeling as would serve Joab's purpose.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Joab
יוֹאָב֙ (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

sent
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

to Tekoa
תְּק֔וֹעָה (tə·qō·w·‘āh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8620: Tekoa -- a city in Judah

to bring
וַיִּקַּ֥ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

a wise
חֲכָמָ֑ה (ḥă·ḵā·māh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

woman
אִשָּׁ֣ה (’iš·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

from there.
מִשָּׁ֖ם (miš·šām)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

He told her,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Please
נָ֞א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

pretend to be a mourner;
הִֽתְאַבְּלִי־ (hiṯ·’ab·bə·lî-)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 56: To bewail

put on
וְלִבְשִׁי־ (wə·liḇ·šî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 3847: Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clothe

clothes
בִגְדֵי־ (ḇiḡ·ḏê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

for mourning
אֵ֗בֶל (’ê·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 60: Lamentation

and do not
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

anoint yourself
תָּס֙וּכִי֙ (tā·sū·ḵî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 5480: To pour (in anointing), anoint

with oil.
שֶׁ֔מֶן (še·men)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8081: Grease, liquid, richness

Act
וְהָיִ֕ית (wə·hā·yîṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a woman
כְּאִשָּׁ֗ה (kə·’iš·šāh)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

who has mourned
מִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶת (miṯ·’ab·be·leṯ)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 56: To bewail

for
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the dead
מֵֽת׃ (mêṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

a long
רַבִּ֔ים (rab·bîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

time.
יָמִ֣ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT History: 2 Samuel 14:2 Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched there (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 14:1
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