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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

2 Samuel 14:1

Joab realized how much the king longed to see 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.
English Standard Version
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart went out to 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 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 Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. 2 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. 3 Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you." Then Joab told her what to say. 4 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!" 5 "What's the trouble?" the king asked. "Alas, I am a widow!" she replied. "My husband is dead. 6 My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. 7 Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn't deserve to inherit his family's property.' They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband's name and family will disappear from the face of the earth." 8 "Leave it to me," the king told her. "Go home, and I'll see to it that no one touches him." 9 "Oh, thank you, my lord the king," the woman from Tekoa replied. "If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father's house, and let the king and his throne be innocent." 10 "If anyone objects," the king said, "bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm 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 descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
Genesis 11:2
As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
Isaiah 11:11
In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands.
Isaiah 21:2
I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused.
Isaiah 22:6
Elamites are the archers, with their chariots and charioteers. The men of Kir hold up the shields.
Isaiah 37:12
Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!
Jeremiah 25:25
and to the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media.
Ezekiel 32:24
"Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes, those who were slaughtered by the sword. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have descended as outcasts to the world below. Now they lie in the pit and share the shame of those who have gone before them.
Daniel 1:2
The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
He replied, "To the land of Babylonia, where they will build a temple for the basket. And when the temple is ready, they will set the basket there on its pedestal."

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


 
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