Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

2 Samuel 20:17

When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abel-Beth-Maachah;   Abishai;   Diplomacy;   Joab;   Politics;   Tact;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abelbethmaachah;   Sheba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Woman;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Sheba;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sheba (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abel (Place Name);   Abel-Beth-Maachah or Abel-Beth-Maacah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abel (of) Beth-Maacah;   Joab;   Samuel, Books of;   Sheba;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bichri ;   Sheba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;   She'ba;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Handmaid;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Yo'av? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.
King James Version
And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Lexham English Bible
Then he came near to her, and the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" And he said, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "I am listening."
English Standard Version
And he came near her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Century Version
So Joab came near her. She asked him, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "Yes, I am." Then she said, "Listen to what I say." Joab said, "I'm listening."
New English Translation
When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He replied, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "Go ahead. I'm listening."
Amplified Bible
So when he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." He answered, "I am listening."
New American Standard Bible
So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your slave." And he said, "I am listening."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when hee came neere vnto her, the woma said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, Yea. And she said to him, Heare the wordes of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do heare.
Legacy Standard Bible
So he drew near to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
Contemporary English Version
When he came, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. She said, "Please, listen to what I have to say." "All right," he said. "I'll listen."
Complete Jewish Bible
He approached her, and the woman asked, "Are you Yo'av?" He answered, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to what your servant has to say." He answered, "I'm listening."
Darby Translation
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I [am he]. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab went to talk with the woman. She asked him, "Are you Joab?" Joab answered, "Yes, I am." Then the woman said, "Listen to me." Joab said, "I am listening."
George Lamsa Translation
And when he was come near to her, she said to him, Are you Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your maidservant. And he answered, I do hear.
Good News Translation
Joab went, and she asked, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. "Listen to me, sir," she said. "I'm listening," he answered.
Literal Translation
And he came near to her. And the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said, I am . And she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. And he said, I am hearing.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha he came to her, the woman sayde: Art thou Ioab? He sayde: Yee. She sayde vnto him: Heare the wordes of thy handmayden. He sayde: I heare.
American Standard Version
And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Bible in Basic English
And he came near, and the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said in answer, I am. Then she said, Give ear to your servant's words. And he said, I am giving ear.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When Ioab was come vnto her, the woman saide: Art thou Ioab? He aunswered: I am he. She saide vnto him: Heare the wordes of thyne handmayd. And he aunswered: I do heare.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he came near unto her; and the woman said: 'Art thou Joab?' And he answered: 'I am.' Then she said unto him: 'Hear the words of thy handmaid.' And he answered: 'I do hear.'
King James Version (1611)
And when he was come neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, I am he: Then shee said vnto him, Heare the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I doe heare.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he drew nigh to her, and the woman said to him, Art thou Joab? and he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid; and Joab said, I do hear.
English Revised Version
And he came near unto her, and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Berean Standard Bible
When he had come near to her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. "Listen to the words of your servant," she said. "I am listening," he answered.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he hadde neiyed to hir, sche seide to hym, Art thou Joab? And he answeride, Y am. To whom sche spak thus, Here thou the wordis of thin handmayde. Which Joab answeride, Y here.
Young's Literal Translation
And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I [am].' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.'
Update Bible Version
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your slave. And he answered, I am listening.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he was come near to her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
World English Bible
He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.
New King James Version
When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Living Translation
As he approached, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. So she said, "Listen carefully to your servant." "I'm listening," he said.
New Life Bible
So he came to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your woman servant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Revised Standard
He came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He answered, "I am listening."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he came near unto her, and the woman said, - Art thou Joab? And he said, - I am. And she said unto him, - Hear thou the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I do hear.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy handmaid. He answered: I do hear.
Revised Standard Version
And he came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Jo'ab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."

Contextual Overview

14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites came together and followed him. 15Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.” 17When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”18She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?” 20Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.” 22The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hear the words: 2 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 25:24

Cross-References

Genesis 20:7
Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.”
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”
Genesis 20:10
Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What made you do this?”
Genesis 20:11
Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’
Genesis 20:12
Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
Genesis 29:31
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive.
Ezra 6:10
so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord,but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 15:29
The Lord is far from the wicked,but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Isaiah 45:11
This is what the Lord,the Holy One of Israel and its Maker, says:“Ask me what is to happen to my sons,and instruct me about the work of my hands.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was come near unto her,.... As he did, upon the information of his men, that a woman on the wall had something to say to him:

the woman said, [art] thou Joab? she was willing to be satisfied that he was really the general, before she would impart her mind to him:

and he answered, I [am he]; the very person you ask after:

and she said unto him, hear the words of thine handmaid; though a woman, vouchsafe to hear what I have to say:

and he answered, I do hear: am ready to hear, and shall patiently and attentively hear whatever may be spoken; which was giving her leave and encouragement to proceed.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile