New English Translation
2 Samuel 14:2
2So 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.
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
1Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom. 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. 3Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say. 4So the Tekoan woman went to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, 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
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 11:6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- 2 Chronicles 20:20Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”
- Nehemiah 3:5The men of Tekoa worked on the section adjacent to them, but their town leaders would not assist with the work of their master.
- Jeremiah 6:1“Run for safety, people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Light the signal fires at Beth Hakkerem! For disaster lurks out of the north; it will bring great destruction.
- Amos 1:1The following is a record of what Amos prophesied. He was one of the herdsmen from Tekoa. These prophecies about Israel were revealed to him during the time of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
- 2 Samuel 11:26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him.
- Ruth 3:3So bathe yourself, rub on some perfumed oil, and get dressed up. Then go down to the threshing floor. But don’t let the man know you’re there until he finishes his meal.
- Psalms 104:15as well as wine that makes people feel so good, and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, as well as food that sustains people’s lives.
- Ecclesiastes 9:8Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.
- Matthew 6:17When 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries