Bilingual reading

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil; but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

Go in to the king and speak like this to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, and said, “Help, O king!”

The king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

Your servant had two sons; and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”

The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”

The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you any more.”

Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”

Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”

The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.

For we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

Now therefore, seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’

For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the LORD, your God, be with you.’”

Then the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”

The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant.

Your servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are on the earth.”

The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”

Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.

Now in all Israel there was no one to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.

When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.

Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.

Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. Then he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

Then Joab arose and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”

So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

وعَرَفَ يوآبُ ٱبنُ صَرَويَةَ أَنَّ قَلبَ داوُدَ المَلِكِ مُهتَمٌّ بأَبْشالوم

فأَرسَلَ يوآبُ إِلى تَقوع، وأَتى مِن هُناكَ بِٱمرَأَةٍ حَكيمَةٍ وقالَ لَها: «تَظاهَري بِالحُزنِ وٱلبَسي لِباسَ الحِدادِ ولا تَتَطَيَّبي، بل كوني كٱمرَأَةٍ تَنوحُ على مَيتٍ مِن أَيَّامٍ كَثيرة

وٱدخُلي على المَلِكِ وكَلِّميه بِهٰذا الكَلام». وجَعَلَ يوآبُ الكَلامَ على لِسانِها

فكلَّمَتِ المَرأَةُ التَّقوعِيَّةُ المَلِكَ وٱرتَمَت بِوَجهِها إِلى الأَرض وسَجَدَت وقالَت: «خَلِّصْني أَيُّها المَلِك»

فقالَ لَها المَلِك: «ما شأنُكِ؟» قالَت: «إِنَّني ٱمرَأَةٌ أَرمَلَة، قد تُوُفِّي زوجي

وكانَ لِأَمَتِكَ ٱبْنانِ تَشاجرا في البَرِّيَّة، ولم يَكُنْ مَن يَفصِلُ بَينَهما، فضَرَبَ أَحَدُهما الآخَرَ وقَتَلَه

وإِذا بِكُلِّ العَشيرةِ قامَت على أَمَتِكَ وقالَت: سَلِّمي إِلَينا الَّذي قَتَلَ أَخاه لِنَقتُلَه بِنَفْسِ أَخيه الَّذي قَتَلَه ونُهلِكَ الوارِثَ أَيضًا. وبِذٰلك يُطفِئونَ جَمرَتيَ الَّتي بَقِيَت، ولا يَترُكونَ لِزَوجي ٱسمًا ولا باقِيًا على وَجهِ الأَرض»

فقالَ المَلِكُ لِلمَرأَة: «إِنصَرِفي إِلى بَيتِكِ، فإِنِّي أُوصي فيكِ»

فقالَتِ المَرأَةُ التَّقوعِيَّةُ لِلمَلِك: «لِيَكُنْ علَيَّ الإِثْم، يا سَيِّدي المَلِك، وعلى بَيتِ أَبي، ولٰكِنَّ المَلِكَ وعَرشَه بَريئان»

فقالَ لَها المَلِك: «مَن كَلَّمَكِ بِهٰذا فأتيني بِه، فلا يَعودُ يَتَعَرَّضُ لَكِ»

قالَت: «أُذكُرْ، أَيُّها المَلِكُ، الرَّبَّ إِلٰهَكَ، فلا يُكثِرَ المُنتَقِمُ لِلدَّمِ الدَّمارَ ويُهلِكَ ٱبْني». فقال: «حَيٌّ الرَّبّ! إِنَّها لا تَسقُطُ شَعَرَةٌ مِنِ ٱبنِكِ على الأَرض»

فقالَتِ المَرأَة: «لِتُكَلِّمْ أَمَتُكَ، سَيِّديَ المَلِك، بِكَلِمة». قال: «تَكَلَّمي»

فقالَتِ المَرأَة: «لِمَ نَوَيتَ مِثلَ هٰذا على شَعبِ الله، فما تَكَلَّمَ بِه المَلِكُ مِن هٰذا الكَلامِ لا يَخْلو مِن الذَّنْب، بما أَنَّ المَلِكَ لم يَرُدَّ مَنفِيَّه

فإِنَّه لا بُدَّ أَن نَموت ونَكونَ كالماءِ المُراقِ على الأَرض، الَّذي لا يُجمَعُ بَعدَ ذٰلك، واللهُ لا يَستَثْني نَفْسًا، بل يُخَطِّطُ تَخْطيطًا حتَّى لا يُنْفى عَنه مَنفِيُّه

والآنَ فإِنَّما جِئتُ لِأُكَلِّمَ المَلِكَ سَيِّدي بِهٰذا الأَمْر، لأَنَّ النَّاسَ قد أَخافوني، فقالت أَمَتُكَ في نَفْسِها: أُكَلِّمُ المَلِكَ، لَعَلَّ المَلِكَ يَعمَلُ بِقَولِ أَمَتِه

لِأَنَّ المَلِكَ يَرْضى بإِنقاذِ أَمَتِه مِن يَدِ الرَّجُلِ الَّذي يُريدُ أَن يَفصِلَني، أَنا وٱبْني معي، مِن ميراثِ الله

فقالَت أَمَتُكَ في نَفْسِها: لِيَكُنْ كَلامُ سَيِّدي المَلِكِ راحةً، لِأَنَّ سَيِّدي المَلِكَ هو كمَلاكِ اللهِ في فَهمِ الخَيرِ والشَّرّ، ولْيَكُنِ الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُكَ مَعَكَ»

فأَجابَ المَلِكُ وقالَ لِلمَرأَة: «لا تَكتُمي عنِّي شَيئًا مِمَّا أَسأَلُكِ عَنه». فقالَتِ المَرأة: «لِيَتَكَلَّمْ سَيِّدي المَلِك»

فقالَ المَلِك: «أَيَدُ يوآبَ مَعَكِ في هٰذا كُلِّه؟» فأَجابَتِ المَرأَةُ وقالَت: «حَيَّةٌ نَفسُكَ يا سَيِّدي المَلِك! لا يَحيدُ المَرءُ عن قَولِ المَلِكِ يَمنَةً ولا يَسرَةً. إِنَّ عَبدَكَ يوآبَ هو الَّذي أَمَرَني وهو الَّذي جَعَلَ على لِسانِ أَمَتِكَ هٰذا الكَلامَ كُلَّه

لِأَجلِ تَحْويلِ وَجهِ الأُمور فَعَلَ عَبدُكَ يوآبُ هٰذا، ولٰكِنَّ لِسَيِّدي حِكمَةً كحِكمَةِ مَلاكِ اللهِ في مَعرِفَةِ كُلِّ ما في الأَرض»

فقالَ المَلِكُ لِيوآب: «هاءَنَذا أَفعَلُ هٰذا الأَمْر، فٱذهَب ورُدَّ الفَتى أَبْشالوم»

فٱرتَمى يوآبُ على وَجهِه إِلى الأَرضِ ساجِدًا وبارَكَ المَلِكَ وقالَ: «اليَومَ عَلِمَ عَبدُكَ أَنِّي قد نِلتُ حُظوَةً في عَينَيكَ، يا سَيِّديَ المَلِك، إِذ إِنَّ المَلِكَ يَفعَلُ ما قالَ عَبدُه»

وقامَ يوآبُ ومَضَى إِلى جَشور، وأَتى بِأَبْشالومَ إِلى أُورَشَليم

فقالَ المَلِك: «لِيَنصَرِفْ إِلى مَنزِلِه ولا يَرَ وَجْهي». فٱنصَرَفَ أَبْشالومُ إِلى مَنزِلِه ولم يَرَ وَجهَ المَلِك

ولم يَكُنْ في كُلِّ إِسْرائيلَ رَجُلٌ جَميلٌ ومَمْدوحٌ كثيرًا كأَبْشالوم: مِن أَخمَصِ قَدَمِه إِلى قِمَّةِ رأسِه لم يَكُنْ فيه عَيب

وكانَ عِندَ حَلْقِ رأسِه (كانَ يَحلِقُه في آخِرِ سَنَة، لِأَنَّه كانَ يَثقُلُ علَيه فيَحلِقُه)، يَكونُ وَزنُ شَعَرِ رأسِه مِئَتي مِثْقالٍ بِمِثْقالِ المَلِك

ووُلِدَ لِأَبشالومَ ثَلاثَةُ بَنينَ وٱبنَةٌ واحِدَةٌ ٱسمُها تامار، وكانَتِ ٱمرَأَةً جَميلَةَ المَنظَر

وَأَقَامَ أَبْشَالُومُ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ سَنَتَيْنِ وَلَمْ يَرَ وَجْهَ الْمَلِكِ.

فٱستَدْعى أَبشالومُ يوآبَ لِيُرسِلَه إِلى المَلِك، فلَم يَشَأْ أَن يَأتِيَ إِلَيه. فٱستَدْعاه أَيضًا ثانِيَةً، فلَم يَشَأْ أن يأتي

فقالَ أَبْشالومُ لِخُدَّامِه: «أُنظُروا! إِنَّ حَقلَ يوآبَ بِجانِبِ حَقْلي، وإِنَّ لَه هُناكَ شَعيرًا. فٱذهَبوا وأَحرِقوه بِالنَّار». فأَحرَقَ خُدَّامُ أَبْشالومُ الحَقلَ بِالنَّار

فقامَ يوآبُ ومَضى إِلى أَبْشالومَ إِلى البَيتِ وقالَ لَه: «لِماذا أَحرَقَ خُدَّامُكَ حَقْلي بِالنَّار؟»

فقالَ أَبْشالومُ لِيوآب: «إِنِّي قدِ ٱستَدعَيتُكَ قائِلًا: تَعالَ إِلى هُنا فأُرسِلَكَ إِلى المَلِك، لِكَي تَقولَ لَه: لِماذا جِئتُ مِن جَشور. لقَد كانَ خَيرًا لي لو بَقيتُ هُناكَ. والآن، لِأَرَ وَجهَ المَلِك. فإِن كانَ علَيَّ إِثْمٌ فلْيَقتُلْني»

فذَهَبَ يوآبُ إِلى المَلِكِ وأَخبَرَه، فدَعا أَبْشالوم، فدَخَلَ على المَلِك وسَجَدَ بِوَجهِهِ إِلى الأَرضِ بَينَ يَدَيِ المَلِك. فقَبَّلَ المَلِكُ أَبْشالوم