Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, May 4th, 2025
the Third Sunday after Easter
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

English Standard Version

2 Samuel 14:1

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart went out to Absalom.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Absalom;   David;   Intercession;   Joab;   Kindness;   Parents;   Tact;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mediator, Mediation;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Joab;   Jonah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joab;   Priests and Levites;   Samuel, Books of;   Wisdom;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Absalom;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jo'ab;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Joab;   Samuel, Books of;   Zeruiah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king’s mind was on Absalom.
Hebrew Names Version
Now Yo'av the son of Tzeru'yah perceived that the king's heart was toward Avshalom.
King James Version
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
Lexham English Bible
Joab the son of Zeruiah realized that the mind of the king was on Absalom.
New Century Version
Joab son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much.
New English Translation
Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom.
Amplified Bible
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom.
New American Standard Bible
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was drawn toward Absalom.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah perceyued, that the Kings heart was toward Absalom,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart was inclined toward Absalom.
Contemporary English Version
Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom,
Complete Jewish Bible
Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah perceived that the king missed Avshalom;
Darby Translation
And Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much.
George Lamsa Translation
NOW Joab the son of, Zoriah perceived that the kings heart was reconciled toward Absalom.
Good News Translation
Joab knew that King David missed Absalom very much,
Literal Translation
And Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart was on Absalom.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ioab the sonne of Ieru Ia perceaued yt the kynges hert was agaynst Absalom,
American Standard Version
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
Bible in Basic English
Now it was clear to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, that the king's heart was turning to Absalom.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ioab ye sonne of Zaruia perceaued that the kynges heart was toward Absalom:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
King James Version (1611)
Now Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, perceiued that the kings heart was toward Absalom.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joab the son of Saruia knew that the heart of the king was toward Abessalom.
English Revised Version
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
Berean Standard Bible
Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart longed for Absalom.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Joab, the sone of Saruye, vndirstood, that the herte of the kyng was turned to Absolon;
Young's Literal Translation
And Joab son of Zeruial knoweth that the heart of the king [is] on Absalom,
Update Bible Version
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart [was] towards Absalom.
World English Bible
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
New King James Version
So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom.
New Living Translation
Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom.
New Life Bible
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah saw that the king missed Absalom very much.
New Revised Standard
Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's mind was on Absalom.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Joab, son of Zeruiah, perceived that the heart of the king was towards Absolom.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Joab the son of Sarvia, understanding that the king’s heart was turned to Absalom,
Revised Standard Version
Now Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah perceived that the king's heart went out to Ab'salom.
THE MESSAGE
Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king, deep down, still cared for Absalom. So he sent to Tekoa for a wise woman who lived there and instructed her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in black and don't comb your hair, so you'll look like you've been grieving over a dead loved one for a long time. Then go to the king and tell him this..." Joab then told her exactly what to say.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was inclined toward Absalom.

Contextual Overview

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart went out to Absalom. 2 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. 3 Go to the king and speak thus to him." So Joab put the words in her mouth. 4 When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, "Save me, O king." 5 And the king said to her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.' And so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth." 8 Then the king said to the woman, "Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you." 9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless." 10 The king said, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2977, bc 1027, An, Ex, Is, 464

Joab: 2 Samuel 2:18, 1 Chronicles 2:16

toward Absalom: 2 Samuel 13:39, 2 Samuel 18:33, 2 Samuel 19:2, 2 Samuel 19:4, Proverbs 29:26

Cross-References

Genesis 10:22
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
Genesis 11:2
And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
Isaiah 11:11
In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
Isaiah 21:2
A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
Isaiah 22:6
And Elam bore the quiver with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.
Isaiah 37:12
Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
Jeremiah 25:25
all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media;
Ezekiel 32:24
"Elam is there, and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.
Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
He said to me, "To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah,.... The general of David's army:

perceived that the king's heart [was] towards Absalom; and longed to have him returned, though he knew not how to bring it about with credit to himself, his crime being so foul, and worthy of death. This Joab perceived by some words he now and then dropped, and by his conduct, not seeking by any ways and means to bring him to justice, and being now reconciled to the death of Amnon; wherefore Joab devised a way to make known to him his own mind, and the sense of the people, which would serve to encourage him to restore him; and the rather Joab was inclined to take such a step, as he knew it would establish him in the king's favour, and ingratiate him into the affection of Absalom, the next heir to the crown, as well as please the people, whose darling he was. Though Abarbinel is of opinion that Joab proceeded upon another view of things, not because he saw the heart and affection of David were towards Absalom, but the reverse; that though David restrained himself and his servants from going out after Absalom, yet Joab knew that the heart of the king was against him, and that his heart was to take vengeance on him, though he did not go out to seek him; he perceived there was still enmity and hatred in his heart to take vengeance on Absalom, and therefore he took the following method to remove it, and reconcile his mind to him; and so the Targum,

"and Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the heart of the king was to go, out against Absalom;''

and it may be observed, that when Joab had so far prevailed upon him as to admit him to bring him back to Jerusalem, he would not suffer him to see his face, nor did he for two years after.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIV

A woman of Tekoah, by the advice of Joab, comes to the king; and

by a fictitious story persuades him to recall Absalom, 1-20.

Joab is permitted to go to Geshur, and bring Absalom from

thence, 21-23.

Absalom comes to Jerusalem to his own house, but is forbidden

to see the king's face, 24.

An account of Absalom's beauty, and the extraordinary weight of

his hair, 25, 26.

His children, 27.

He strives to regain the king's favour, and employs Joab as an

intercessor, 28-32.

David is reconciled to him, 33.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile