Lectionary Calendar
Friday, May 2nd, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 20:17

When he came, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. She said, "Please, listen to what I have to say." "All right," he said. "I'll listen."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abel-Beth-Maachah;   Abishai;   Diplomacy;   Joab;   Politics;   Tact;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abelbethmaachah;   Sheba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Woman;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Sheba;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sheba (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abel (Place Name);   Abel-Beth-Maachah or Abel-Beth-Maacah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abel (of) Beth-Maacah;   Joab;   Samuel, Books of;   Sheba;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bichri ;   Sheba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;   She'ba;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Handmaid;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”
Hebrew Names Version
He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Yo'av? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.
King James Version
And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Lexham English Bible
Then he came near to her, and the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" And he said, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "I am listening."
English Standard Version
And he came near her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Century Version
So Joab came near her. She asked him, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "Yes, I am." Then she said, "Listen to what I say." Joab said, "I'm listening."
New English Translation
When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He replied, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "Go ahead. I'm listening."
Amplified Bible
So when he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." He answered, "I am listening."
New American Standard Bible
So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your slave." And he said, "I am listening."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when hee came neere vnto her, the woma said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, Yea. And she said to him, Heare the wordes of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do heare.
Legacy Standard Bible
So he drew near to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
Complete Jewish Bible
He approached her, and the woman asked, "Are you Yo'av?" He answered, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to what your servant has to say." He answered, "I'm listening."
Darby Translation
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I [am he]. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab went to talk with the woman. She asked him, "Are you Joab?" Joab answered, "Yes, I am." Then the woman said, "Listen to me." Joab said, "I am listening."
George Lamsa Translation
And when he was come near to her, she said to him, Are you Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your maidservant. And he answered, I do hear.
Good News Translation
Joab went, and she asked, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. "Listen to me, sir," she said. "I'm listening," he answered.
Literal Translation
And he came near to her. And the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said, I am . And she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. And he said, I am hearing.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha he came to her, the woman sayde: Art thou Ioab? He sayde: Yee. She sayde vnto him: Heare the wordes of thy handmayden. He sayde: I heare.
American Standard Version
And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Bible in Basic English
And he came near, and the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said in answer, I am. Then she said, Give ear to your servant's words. And he said, I am giving ear.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When Ioab was come vnto her, the woman saide: Art thou Ioab? He aunswered: I am he. She saide vnto him: Heare the wordes of thyne handmayd. And he aunswered: I do heare.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he came near unto her; and the woman said: 'Art thou Joab?' And he answered: 'I am.' Then she said unto him: 'Hear the words of thy handmaid.' And he answered: 'I do hear.'
King James Version (1611)
And when he was come neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, I am he: Then shee said vnto him, Heare the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I doe heare.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he drew nigh to her, and the woman said to him, Art thou Joab? and he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid; and Joab said, I do hear.
English Revised Version
And he came near unto her, and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Berean Standard Bible
When he had come near to her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. "Listen to the words of your servant," she said. "I am listening," he answered.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he hadde neiyed to hir, sche seide to hym, Art thou Joab? And he answeride, Y am. To whom sche spak thus, Here thou the wordis of thin handmayde. Which Joab answeride, Y here.
Young's Literal Translation
And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I [am].' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.'
Update Bible Version
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your slave. And he answered, I am listening.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he was come near to her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
World English Bible
He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.
New King James Version
When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Living Translation
As he approached, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. So she said, "Listen carefully to your servant." "I'm listening," he said.
New Life Bible
So he came to her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your woman servant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New Revised Standard
He came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He answered, "I am listening."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he came near unto her, and the woman said, - Art thou Joab? And he said, - I am. And she said unto him, - Hear thou the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I do hear.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy handmaid. He answered: I do hear.
Revised Standard Version
And he came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Jo'ab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening."

Contextual Overview

14 Sheba had gone through all of the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All of his best soldiers met him there and followed him into the town. 15 Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made a dirt ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down. 16 A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall, "Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!" 17 When he came, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. She said, "Please, listen to what I have to say." "All right," he said. "I'll listen." 18 She said, "Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.' The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem. 19 We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the Lord 's people?" 20 Joab answered, "No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town! 21 That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone." The woman told Joab, "We will throw his head over the wall." 22 She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab. Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hear the words: 2 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 25:24

Cross-References

Genesis 20:7
Her husband is a prophet. Let her go back to him, and his prayers will save you from death. But if you don't return her, you and all your people will die.
Genesis 20:9
Abimelech then called in Abraham and said: Look what you've done to us! What have I ever done to you? Why did you make me and my nation guilty of such a terrible sin?
Genesis 20:10
What were you thinking when you did this?
Genesis 20:11
Abraham answered: I did it because I didn't think any of you respected God, and I was sure that someone would kill me to get my wife.
Genesis 20:12
Besides, she is my half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers.
Genesis 29:31
The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel.
Ezra 6:10
I want them to be able to offer pleasing sacrifices to God and to pray for me and my family.
Proverbs 15:8
The Lord is disgusted by gifts from the wicked, but it makes him happy when his people pray.
Proverbs 15:29
The Lord never even hears the prayers of the wicked, but he answers the prayers of all who obey him.
Isaiah 45:11
I am the Lord , the Creator, the holy God of Israel. Do you dare question me about my own nation or about what I have done?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was come near unto her,.... As he did, upon the information of his men, that a woman on the wall had something to say to him:

the woman said, [art] thou Joab? she was willing to be satisfied that he was really the general, before she would impart her mind to him:

and he answered, I [am he]; the very person you ask after:

and she said unto him, hear the words of thine handmaid; though a woman, vouchsafe to hear what I have to say:

and he answered, I do hear: am ready to hear, and shall patiently and attentively hear whatever may be spoken; which was giving her leave and encouragement to proceed.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile