Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 16th, 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

New Life Version

2 Samuel 14:1

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah saw that the king missed Absalom very much.

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 Living Translation
Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom.
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 saw that the king missed Absalom very much. 2 So Joab sent for a wise woman from Tekoa, and said to her, "Pretend to be filled with sorrow. Dress as if you were filled with sorrow, and do not pour oil on yourself. Dress like a woman who has been filled with sorrow for the dead many days. 3 Then go to the king and speak to him in this way." And Joab told her what to say. 4 When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showing honor, and said, "Help, O king." 5 The king said to her, "What is your trouble?" And she answered, "I am a woman whose husband has died. 6 Your woman servant had two sons. But they fought together in the field and there was no one to pull them apart. So one hit the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole family has come against your woman servant. They say, ‘Give us the one who killed his brother. We must put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.' So I would be without a son to receive what belonged to his parents when I die. They would put out the last of the fire which is left to me. My husband would be left without a name and with no children on the earth." 8 Then the king said to the woman, "Go to your house. I will say what should be done about your trouble." 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "O my lord the king, the sin is on me and my father's family. But the king and his throne are without guilt." 10 The king said, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me. And he will not 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 were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
Genesis 11:2
And as men traveled in the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and made their home there.
Isaiah 11:11
In that day the Lord will put out His hand a second time to bring back His people who are left. He will bring them back from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 21:2
A hard special dream has been shown to me. The one who hurts still goes on hurting others, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam. Gather your armies around, Media. I will bring an end to all the crying she has caused.
Isaiah 22:6
Elam took up the arrows with the war-wagons, soldiers and horsemen. And Kir let the battle-covering be seen.
Isaiah 37:12
Did the gods of those nations which my fathers have destroyed take them out of trouble? Did they save Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar?
Jeremiah 25:25
I was sent to all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, all the kings of Media,
Ezekiel 32:24
"Elam is there, with all of her people around her grave. All of them are dead, killed by the sword. They have gone to the lower parts of the earth having not gone through the religious act of the Jews. They filled the land of the living with fear, and carried their shame with those who went down to the place of the dead.
Daniel 1:2
The Lord let him take King Jehoiakim of Judah, with some of the objects of the house of God. He brought them to the house of his god in the land of Shinar, and put the objects into the store-room of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
He said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar. When it is ready, it will be put in its place."

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