King James Version
2 Samuel 14:2
2And 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:
2 Samuel 14:2 in other versions
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)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.
Context of 2 Samuel 14:2
1Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom. 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: 3And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. 4And 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.
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
- 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 even Beth–lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
- 2 Chronicles 20:20And 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 3:5And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
- Jeremiah 6:1O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth–haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
- Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
- 2 Samuel 11:26And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
- Ruth 3:3Wash 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.
- Psalms 104:15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
- Ecclesiastes 9:8Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
- Matthew 6:17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy 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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries