2 Samuel 14:4

THE MESSAGE

The woman of Tekoa went to the king, bowed deeply before him in homage, and said, "O King, help!"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the woman from Tekoa came to the king, she fell facedown to the ground, paid homage, and said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

Hebrew Names Version
When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

King James Version
And 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.

Lexham English Bible
So the Tekoite woman spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance. She said, "Help me, O king!"

English Standard Version
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."

New Century Version
So the woman from Tekoa spoke to the king. She bowed facedown on the ground to show respect and said, "My king, help me!"

New English Translation
So 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!"

Amplified Bible
When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she bowed with her face to the ground and lay herself down, and said, "Help, O king."

New American Standard Bible
Now 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!"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the woman of Tekoah spake vnto the king, & fel downe on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and sayd, Helpe, O King.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, "Save, O king."

Contemporary English Version
The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, "Your Majesty, please help me!"

Complete Jewish Bible
When the woman of T'koa spoke to the king, she fell down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself, and said, "King, help!"

Darby Translation
And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Save, O king!

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the woman from Tekoa talked to the king. She bowed with her face to the ground. Then she said, "King, please help me!"

George Lamsa Translation
And when the woman of Tekoah came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance and said, Deliver me, O my lord the king.

Good News Translation
The woman went to the king, bowed down to the ground in respect, and said, "Help me, Your Majesty!"

Literal Translation
And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and fell on her face to the earth, and bowed and said, Save, O king!

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan the woman of Thecoa wolde speake with the kynge, she fell vpon hir face to the grounde, and worshipped, and sayde: Helpe me O kynge.

American Standard Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

Bible in Basic English
And the woman of Tekoa came to the king, and falling on her face, gave him honour and said, Give me help, O king.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the woman of Thekoa spake with the king, she fell on her face to the grounde, and did obeysaunce, and sayde: Helpe, O king.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And 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.'

King James Version (1611)
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, shee fell on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and said, Helpe, O king.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So the woman of Thecoe went in to the king and fell upon her face to the earth, and did him obeisance, and said, Help, O king, help.

English Revised Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

Berean Standard Bible
When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell facedown in homage and said, "Help me, O king!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor whanne the womman of Thecua hadde entrid to the kyng, sche felde bifor hym on the erthe, and worschipide, and seide, A! kyng, kepe me.

Young's Literal Translation
And the woman of Tekoah speaketh unto the king, and falleth on her face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith, `Save, O king.'

Update Bible Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

World English Bible
When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

New King James Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spoke [fn] to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, "Help, O king!"

New Living Translation
When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, "O king! Help me!"

New Life Bible
When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showing honor, and said, "Help, O king."

New Revised Standard
When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, "Help, O king!"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when the woman of Tekoa came in unto the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did homage, - and said - Save, O king!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the woman of Thecua was come in to the king, she fell before him upon the ground, and worshipped, and said: Save me, O king.

Revised Standard Version
When the woman of Teko'a came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, "Help, O king."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now 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."

Contextual Overview

¹Joab 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. ⁴ The woman of Tekoa went to the king, bowed deeply before him in homage, and said, "O King, help!" ⁵He said, "How can I help?" "I'm a widow," she said. "My husband is dead. I had two sons. The two of them got into a fight out in the field and there was no one around to step between them. The one struck the other and killed him. Then the whole family ganged up against me and demanded, ‘Hand over this murderer so we can kill him for the life of the brother he murdered!' They want to wipe out the heir and snuff out the one spark of life left to me. And then there would be nothing left of my husband—not so much as a name—on the face of the earth. "So now I've dared come to the king, my master, about all this. They're making my life miserable, and I'm afraid. I said to myself, ‘I'll go to the king. Maybe he'll do something! When the king hears what's going on, he'll step in and rescue me from the abuse of the man who would get rid of me and my son and God's inheritance—the works!' As your handmaid, I decided ahead of time, ‘The word of my master, the king, will be the last word in this, for my master is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil.' God be with you!" ⁸ The king said, "Go home, and I'll take care of this for you." ⁹ "I'll take all responsibility for what happens," the woman of Tekoa said. "I don't want to compromise the king and his reputation." ¹⁰ "Bring the man who has been harassing you," the king continued. "I'll see to it that he doesn't bother you anymore." ¹¹ "Let the king invoke the name of God ," said the woman, "so this self-styled vigilante won't ruin everything, to say nothing of killing my son." "As surely as God lives," he said, "not so much as a hair of your son's head will be lost." ¹² Then she asked, "May I say one more thing to my master, the king?" He said, "Go ahead." ¹³"Why, then," the woman said, "have you done this very thing against God's people? In his verdict, the king convicts himself by not bringing home his exiled son. We all die sometime. Water spilled on the ground can't be gathered up again. But God does not take away life. He works out ways to get the exile back." The king then said, "I'm going to ask you something. Answer me truthfully." "Certainly," she said. "Let my master, the king, speak." The king said, "Is the hand of Joab mixed up in this?" "On your life, my master king, a body can't veer an inch right or left and get by with it in the royal presence! Yes, it was your servant Joab who put me up to this, and put these very words in my mouth. It was because he wanted to turn things around that your servant Joab did this. But my master is as wise as God's angels in knowing how to handle things on this earth." The king spoke to Joab. "All right, I'll do it. Go and bring the young man Absalom back." Joab bowed deeply in reverence and blessed the king. "I'm reassured to know that I'm still in your good graces and have your confidence, since the king is taking the counsel of his servant." Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. The king said, "He may return to his house, but he is not to see me face-to-face." So Absalom returned home, but was not permitted to see the king. This Absalom! There wasn't a man in all Israel talked about so much for his handsome good looks—and not a blemish on him from head to toe! When he cut his hair—he always cut it short in the spring because it had grown so heavy—the weight of the hair from his head was over two pounds! Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter. Her name was Tamar—and she was a beauty. Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, and not once did he see the king face-to-face. He sent for Joab to get him in to see the king, but Joab still wouldn't budge. He tried a second time and Joab still wouldn't. So he told his servants, "Listen. Joab's field adjoins mine, and he has a crop of barley in it. Go set fire to it." So Absalom's servants set fire to the field. That got him moving—Joab came to Absalom at home and said, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?" Absalom answered him, "Listen, I sent for you saying, ‘Come, and soon. I want to send you to the king to ask, "What's the point of my coming back from Geshur? I'd be better off still there!" Let me see the king face-to-face. If he finds me guilty, then he can put me to death.'" Joab went to the king and told him what was going on. Absalom was then summoned—he came and bowed deeply in reverence before him. And the king kissed Absalom. ¹⁵"So now I've dared come to the king, my master, about all this. They're making my life miserable, and I'm afraid. I said to myself, ‘I'll go to the king. Maybe he'll do something! When the king hears what's going on, he'll step in and rescue me from the abuse of the man who would get rid of me and my son and God's inheritance—the works!' As your handmaid, I decided ahead of time, ‘The word of my master, the king, will be the last word in this, for my master is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil.' God be with you!" The king said, "Go home, and I'll take care of this for you." "I'll take all responsibility for what happens," the woman of Tekoa said. "I don't want to compromise the king and his reputation." "Bring the man who has been harassing you," the king continued. "I'll see to it that he doesn't bother you anymore." "Let the king invoke the name of God ," said the woman, "so this self-styled vigilante won't ruin everything, to say nothing of killing my son." "As surely as God lives," he said, "not so much as a hair of your son's head will be lost." Then she asked, "May I say one more thing to my master, the king?" He said, "Go ahead." "Why, then," the woman said, "have you done this very thing against God's people? In his verdict, the king convicts himself by not bringing home his exiled son. We all die sometime. Water spilled on the ground can't be gathered up again. But God does not take away life. He works out ways to get the exile back."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fell on her: 2 Samuel 1:2, 1 Samuel 20:41, 1 Samuel 25:23

Help: Heb. Save, 2 Kings 6:26-28, Job 29:12-14, Luke 18:3-5

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:28 - made obeisance 2 Samuel 16:4 - I humbly beseech thee 2 Samuel 18:28 - All is well 2 Kings 8:3 - General Mark 10:35 - we would

Cross-References

Ezekiel 17:15
"‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that's going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king,.... Or after she had spoken to him, being introduced by Joab, as is probable; when she had saluted him with God save the king, or May the king live, or some such like expressions:

she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance; to him as her king, in reverence of his majesty:

and said, help, O king; signifying that she was in great distress, and came to him for assistance and deliverance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Spake - Seems to be an accidental error for came, which is found in many manuscipts and versions.

Help - literally, save (see the margin). It is the same cry as Hosanna, i. e. save now Psalms 118:25.