New King James Version
2 Samuel 14:2
2And 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.
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 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
1So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom. 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. 3Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth. 4And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, 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
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 11:6And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- 2 Chronicles 20:20So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
- Nehemiah 3:5Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.
- Jeremiah 6:1“O you children of Benjamin, Gather yourselves to flee from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, And set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem; For disaster appears out of the north, And great destruction.
- Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders 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 11:26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
- Ruth 3:3Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
- Psalms 104:15And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
- Ecclesiastes 9:8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
- Matthew 6:17But you, when you fast, anoint 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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries