Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 14:2
2So 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.
2 Samuel 14:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of 2 Samuel 14:2
1Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king’s mind was on Absalom. 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. 3Go to the king and speak these words to him.” Then Joab told her exactly what to say. 4When the woman from Tekoa came to the king, she fell facedown to the ground, paid homage, and said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”
Read all of 2 Samuel 142 Samuel 14:2 word by word
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׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- to Tekoahתְּקוֹעַteqôa‛ · TekoaH8620
- and fetchedלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
- thence a wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
- womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mournerאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
- and put onלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- now mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
- apparelבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- and anointסוּךְsûk · to anointH5480
- not thyself with oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- that had a longרַבrab · manyH7227
- timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- for the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:2
- 2 Chronicles 11:6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- 2 Chronicles 20:20In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
- Nehemiah 3:5Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors.
- Jeremiah 6:1“Run for cover out of Jerusalem, Benjaminites. Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even a crushing blow.
- Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa — what he saw regarding Israel in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
- 2 Samuel 11:26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband, Uriah, had died, she mourned for him.
- Ruth 3:3Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
- Psalms 104:15wine that makes human hearts glad — making his face shine with oil — and bread that sustains human hearts.
- Ecclesiastes 9:8Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head.
- Matthew 6:17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Joab sent to Tekoah - Tekoah, according to St. Jerome, was a little city in the tribe of Judah, about twelve miles from Jerusalem. There are several circumstances relative to this woman and her case which deserve to be noticed: - She was a widow, and therefore her condition of life was the better calculated to excite compassion. She lived at some distance from Jerusalem, which rendered the case difficult to be readily inquired into; and consequently there…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Tekoah - In the south of Judah, six miles from Bethlehem, the modern Tekua. The rough, wild district was well suited for the lawless profession of the wise woman; it abounds in caves, as does the country near Endor.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The woman with a reputation for great wisdom was summoned to carry out a delicate mission in the royal court (compare 2 Samuel 20:16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-212Sa 14:1-21. Joab Instructs a Woman of Tekoah. 2-21. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman--The king was strongly attached to Absalom; and having now got over his sorrow for the violent death of Amnon, he was desirous of again enjoying the society of his favorite son, who had now been three long years absent. But a dread of public opinion and a regard to the public interests made him hesitate about recalling or pardoning his guilty son…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 14:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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