2 Samuel 14:1

Easy-to-Read Version

Joab son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much.

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.

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 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 son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much. ² So Joab sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. Joab said to this wise woman, "Please pretend to be very sad. Put on sackcloth. Don't dress up. Act like a woman who has been crying many days for someone who died. ³ Go to the king and talk to him using these words that I tell you." Then Joab told the wise woman what to say. ⁴ Then the woman from Tekoa talked to the king. She bowed with her face to the ground. Then she said, "King, please help me!" ⁵ King David said to her, "What's your problem?" The woman said, "I am a widow. My husband is dead. ⁶ I had two sons. They were out in the field fighting. There was no one to stop them. One son killed the other son. ⁷ Now the whole family is against me. They said to me, ‘Bring us the son who killed his brother and we will kill him, because he killed his brother.' My son is like the last spark of a fire. If they kill my son, that fire will burn out and be finished. He is the only son left alive to get his father's property. So my dead husband's property will go to someone else and his name will be removed from the land." ⁸ Then the king said to the woman, "Go home. I will take care of things for you." ⁹ The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "Let the blame be on me, my lord and king. You and your kingdom are innocent." ¹⁰ King David said, "If anyone is saying bad things to you, bring them to me. They will not bother 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
Shem's sons were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

Genesis 11:2
Then people began to move from the East. They found a plain in the land of Babylonia and stayed there to live.

Isaiah 11:11
At that time the Lord will again reach out and take his people who are left in countries like Assyria, North Egypt, South Egypt, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, Hamath, and other faraway countries around the world.

Isaiah 21:2
I was given a vision of the hard times to come. I see traitors turning against you. I see people taking your wealth. Elam, go against them! Media, surround the city! I will put an end to all their moaning.

Isaiah 22:6
Horse soldiers from Elam took their bags of arrows and rode into battle. Soldiers from Kir rattled their shields.

Isaiah 37:12
Did the gods of those people save them? No, my ancestors destroyed them all. They destroyed the cities of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden living in Tel Assar.

Jeremiah 25:25
I made all the kings from Zimri, Elam, and Media drink from the cup.

Ezekiel 32:24
"Elam is there and all its army is around her grave. All of them were killed in battle. Those foreigners went deep down into the ground. When they were alive, they made people afraid. But they carried their shame with them down to that deep hole.

Daniel 1:2
The Lord allowed Nebuchadnezzar to defeat Jehoiakim king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar took all the dishes and other things from God's Temple and carried them to Babylon. He put those things in the temple of his gods.

Zechariah 5:11
The angel told me, "They are going to build a house for it in Babylonia. After they build that house, they will put the bucket there."

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