1 Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom, 2-3 and he sent someone to bring in the wise woman who lived in Tekoa. Joab told her, “Put on funeral clothes and don't use any makeup. Go to the king and pretend you have spent a long time mourning the death of a loved one.” Then he told her what to say.
4 The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, please help me!”
5 David asked, “What's the matter?”
She replied:
My husband is dead, and I'm a widow. 6 I had two sons, but they got into a fight out in a field where there was no one to pull them apart, and one of them killed the other. 7 Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, “Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother.” But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land.
Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name.
8 “Go on home,” David told her. “I'll take care of this matter for you.”
9 The woman said, “I hope your decision doesn't cause any problems for you. But if it does, you can blame me.”
10 He said, “If anyone gives you trouble, bring them to me, and it won't happen again!”
11 “Please,” she replied, “swear by the Lord your God that no one will be allowed to kill my son!”
He said, “I swear by the living Lord that no one will touch even a hair on his head!”
12 Then she asked, “Your Majesty, may I say something?”
“Yes,” he answered.
13 The woman said:
Haven't you been hurting God's people? Your own son had to leave the country. And when you judged in my favor, it was the same as admitting that you should have let him come back. 14 We each must die and disappear like water poured out on the ground. But God doesn't take our lives. Instead, he figures out ways of bringing us back when we run away.
15 Your Majesty, I came here to tell you about my problem, because I was afraid of what someone might do to me. I decided to come to you, because I thought you could help. 16 In fact, I knew that you would listen and save my son and me from those who want to take the land that God gave us.
17 I can rest easy now that you have given your decision. You know the difference between right and wrong just like an angel of God, and I pray that the Lord your God will be with you.
18 Then David said to the woman, “Now I'm going to ask you a question, and don't try to hide the truth!”
The woman replied, “Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”
19 David asked, “Did Joab put you up to this?”
The woman answered, “Your Majesty, I swear by your life that no one can hide the truth from you. Yes, Joab did tell me what to say, 20 but only to show you the other side of this problem. You must be as wise as the angel of God to know everything that goes on in this country.”
21 David turned to Joab and said, “It seems that I have already given my decision. Go and bring Absalom back.”
22 Joab bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you for giving your permission. It shows that you approve of me.”
23 Joab went to Geshur to get Absalom. But when they came back to Jerusalem, 24 David told Joab, “I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me.” So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.
Absalom Was Handsome
25 No one in all Israel was as handsome and well-built as Absalom. 26 His hair grew so thick and heavy that when he got it cut once a year, it weighed over two kilograms.
27 Absalom had three sons. He also had a daughter named Tamar, who grew up to be very beautiful.
Absalom Finally Sees David
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. 29 He wanted Joab to talk to David for him. So one day he sent a message asking Joab to come over, but Joab refused. Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused. 30 Finally, Absalom told his servants, “Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!” And they did.
31 Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Absalom answered, “You didn't pay any attention when I sent for you. I want you to ask my father why he told me to come back from Geshur. I was better off there. I want to see my father now! If I'm guilty, let him kill me.”
33 Joab went to David and told him what Absalom had said. David sent for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed very low, and David leaned over and kissed him.
Joab ge Absalommi oasa ra aiǂhomi
1 Serujas ôab, Joab ge ge hōǃâ gao-aob Davidi Absalomma ra ǁkhore ǃkhaisa. 2 Ob ge gā-ai tarasa Tekoasa xu ǂgaihā kai tsî ǁîs ǃoa ge mî: “ǃOa ra khami dīsen, îs ǃoab sarana ana, î tā oli-i ǀkha soposen, î ǁō ge khoe-i ǃaroma ǀnai ǂomxa ǁaeba ǃoa hâ tara-i khami tanisen. 3 Gao-aoba ǃoa ǃgû, îs tita nî mîba si khami ǁîb ǀkha sī ǃhoa.” Tsîb ge Joaba tare-es nî mî ǃkhaisa ge mîba si.
4 Os ge Tekoaǁî tarasa gao-aob tawa sī, ǁîb aiǃâ ǃhūb kōse ǃgamǃgâ tsî “Hui te re, ǃgôahesatse” ti ge mî.
5 “Tare-es ra huihe ǂgao?” tib ge gao-aoba ǁîsa ge dî.
Os ge ge ǃeream: “Tita ge ǀkhomǀkhomsa ǃoatarata; ti aob ge ge ǁō. 6 ǀGam ǀgôakha ta ge ge ūhâ i. ǁÎkha ge ǃaub ǃnâ ge ǂkhaba tsî ǀnae-ao-i xare-i ge ǀkhai i xui-aob ge ǀguiba nauba ge ǃgam. 7 Tsî nēsin ge hoaraga ǀaokhoena khâiǀkhā te tsî ra mî: ‘ǁNā ǀgôab ǃgâsab âba go ǃgamma mā da, î da ǁîb ona ǃgâsab âb ǃaroma ǃgam. Nētin ge ǀumi-aob ona nî hîkākā.’ ǁÎn ge ǀuniga mûmainǃgâb tiba ra hîkākā ǂgao, tsîb ge ǁgûb ǀonsa aiǃgû-ū ǁkhā tide tsî ǁgûba xū-i xare-e ǃhūbaib ai ǃgauba tide.”
8 Ob ge gao-aoba ǁîs ǃoa ge mî: “Sa oms ǁga oa re, tita ge nē ǁhōba nî dība si xuige.”
9 Xawes ge ǁîsa ge mî: “ǃGôahesa gao-aotse, as ǀhapisa tita tsî ti îb surib di, sats tsî sa gao-aosi suriba ab ǀhapio.”
10 Ob ge gao-aoba ge ǃeream: “Khoe-i ga nēs xa ǁkhawa sas ǀkha ǃhoao, ǁî-e tita ǃoa hā-ū, o-i ge ǁkhawa ǂhani si tide.”
11 Os ge tarasa ge mî: “ǃGôahesatse, ǃKhūb sa Elob ǃoa ǀgore re, in tā ǀkhao-aona ti ôaba ǃgam.”
Ob ge gao-aob Davida ge mî: “ǃKhūb a ûitsama ǃkhais aob ge ǀgui ǀûb sa ôab dib tsîna ǃhūb ai ǁnā tide.”
12 Os ge ǁîsa “A ta noxopa ǀgui xūro-i ǀgui-e gao-aots ǃoa mî re” ti ge ǂgan.
Ob ge gao-aoba “ǃHoa re” ti ge mî.
13 ǃNubais ge ǁîsa ge mî: “Tare xū-i ǃaromats ǁnâi nēti ī tsū xū-e Elob ǁaes ǃoagu ra dī ǂgao? Nē mîdi hîats go ǃhoadi ǀkhats ge aitsama ǀhapixats a ǃkhaisa go ǁgau; sats ge sa ôab saurubēhe hâba oaǀkhī kai tama hâ. 14 Sida hoada kom nî ǁō-o tsî ǁgam-i ǃhūb ai ǁhōxūhe hâ-i tsî ǁkhawa a ǀhaoǀhaohe ǁoa-i khami nî īo. Elob ge ûiba ūbē tama hâ tsîb ge ra dī saurubēhe hâ-i ǁkhawa nî oahāsa. 15 Tita ge nē ǃkhaisa nēsi gao-aots ǀkha hā goro ǃhoa, khoen go ǃaoǃao te xui-ao; ǁnā-amaga ta ge go ǂâi gao-aots ǀkha ta hā nî ǃhoasa, ǀnîsits xū-e nē ǁhōb ai nî dī amaga. 16 ǂÂi ta ge go sats amase nî ǃgâ te tsîts ǁnān tita tsî ti ôab tsîma Elob ǁaesa xu ra hîkākā ǂgaon di ǃomǁaeba xu nî huiǂui tesa. 17 ǃAruǀî ta ge sats Elob ǀhomǃgā-i khami ī tsîts ǃgâin tsî tsūn ǁaegu a ǀgora ǁkhā xui-ao go ǂâi, sa mîmâis nî ǂkhîǂkhî tesa. Ab ǃKhūb sa Eloba hâǀkhā tsi re.”
18 Ob ge gao-aoba ge ǃeream: “Nēsi ta ga dî sio, xū-i xare-e tā tita xu gaugau.”
Os ge ǁîsa “Dî te re, ǃgôahesa gao-aotse” ti ge mî.
19 Ob ge gao-aoba “Joaba xare sî si tama?” ti ge dî.
Os ge tarasa ge ǃeream: “ǃGôahesa gao-aotse, sats a ûitsama ǃkhais ao, khoe-i xare-i ge satsa a gā ǁoa. Joab, sa ǃoabas ǃnâ mâb ge go sî te. ǁÎb ge tare-e ta nî mîsa go mîba te. 20 Joab ge nēsa go dī, ǀgau-i aib nē ǃkhaisa nî ǃgâiǃgâiga. Xawets ge satsa Elob ǀhomǃgā-i khami a gā-ai tsî hoa xūna a ǂan.”
21 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge gao-aoba Joab ǁga ge mî: “Sats ra ǂgao khami ta ge nî dī. ǃGû, î ǀgôab Absalomma sī ū re.”
22 Ob ge Joaba gao-aob aiǃâ ǃhūb kōse ǃgamǃgâ tsî gao-aob ǃoa ge mî: “Ab ǃKhūba ǀkhae tsi re. Nēsi ta ge a ǂan tita ǀkhats a ǂkhîǂâixa ǃkhaisa, ǂgan ta go khamits go dī amaga.” 23 Tsîb ge khâi tsî Gesurs ǁga ǃgû tsî Absalomma Jerusalems tawa ge oasī-ū. 24 Xawe gao-aob ge ge mîmā: “Ab ǁîb oms ǂûs ǁga oa, îb tā tita ǃoa hā.” ǁNā-amagab ge Absalomma oms âb ǁga ge oa tsî gao-aob tawa sī tama ge i.
Absalommi ge Davidi ǀkha ra ǂkhîbagu
25 Israeli hoab ǃnâb ge Absalommi khami îxa khoeba ge ǀkhai i. ǁÎb ge danasa xu ǂais kōse ū-i xare-e ge ūhâ tama hâ i. 26 Mâ kurib hoab ǀunis aib ge danaǀûn âba gere ǂkhom, kaisen gere ǃgom xui-ao. Tsî gao-aosi ǀnō-ūdas ain gere ǀnōhe on ge ǀgam kiloxramkha xa ǃnāsase ge ǃgom i. 27 Absalommi ge ǃnona ǀgôagu tsî ǀgui ǀgôas tsîna ge ūhâ i. ǀGôas ge Tamar ti ge ǀon hâ i tsîs ge kaise îxa tarekhoe ge i.
28 Absalommi ge ǀgam kurikha Jerusalems ǃnâ, gao-aoba mû tamase ge hâ. 29 ǁNā-amagab ge Absalomma Joaba ge ǂgai kai, îb ǁîba gao-aoba ǃoa sî, xaweb ge hā ǂgao tama ge i. Ob ge ǀgamǁî ǃnāsab ge sî, xaweb ge Joaba hā ǂgao tama io, 30 Absalomma ǃgāgu âb ǃoa ge mî: “Kō, Joab di ǃhanaǃhūb ge tib xōǀkhā ǁgoe tsî ǃhorob ge ǁîb ai hâ. ǃGû, î go ǁîba sī ǂhubi.” O gu ge ǁîga ǃhanaba sī ge ǂhubi.
31 Ob ge Joaba ǃhaese Absalommi oms tawa sī tsî ǁîba ge dî: “Tare-i ǃaroma gu sa ǃgāga ti ǃhanaba ra ǂhubi?”
32 Ob ge ge ǃeream: “Kō, tita ge go haisiba tsi ‘Nēpa hā, î ta gao-aob ǃoa sî tsi, tare xū-i ǃaroma ta ge Gesursa xu a hā ǃkhaisats nî dîse.’ ǃGâiba te ga hâ ǃkhais ge noxopa ta ga ǁnāpa hâ hâsa. A ta gao-aob tawa sī tsî ǀhapixa ta nîs kao, ab ǁnâi ǃgam te.”
33 Joab ge nēsa gao-aoba sī a mîba, ob ge gao-aoba Absalomma ge ǂgai kai tsîb ge gao-aob tawa ge hā. ǁÎb ge gao-aob aiǃâ ǃhūb kōse ge ǃgamǃgâ tsîb ge gao-aoba ge ǁoatawede bi.
