2 Samuel 14
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
1
2
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חand he sentיוֹאָב֙Joabתְּק֔וֹעָהTekoa towardsוַיִּקַּ֥חand he tookמִשָּׁ֖םfrom thereאִשָּׁ֣הa womanחֲכָמָ֑הwiseוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidאֵ֠לֶיהָto herהִֽתְאַבְּלִי־play the mournerנָ֞אpleaseוְלִבְשִׁי־and put onנָ֣אpleaseבִגְדֵי־garments ofאֵ֗בֶלmourningוְאַל־and may notתָּס֙וּכִי֙you anoint yourselfשֶׁ֔מֶןoilוְהָיִ֕יתand you will beכְּאִשָּׁ֗הlike a womanזֶ֚הthisיָמִ֣יםdaysרַבִּ֔יםmanyמִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶתwho has been mourningעַל־onמֵֽת׃a dead person
3
4
5
6
וּלְשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙and belonged to maidservant yourשְׁנֵ֣יtwoבָנִ֔יםsonsוַיִּנָּצ֤וּand they struggled togetherשְׁנֵיהֶם֙the two of themבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הin the fieldוְאֵ֥יןand there notמַצִּ֖ילwas a delivererבֵּֽינֵיהֶ֑םbetween themוַיַּכּ֧וֹand he struck himהָאֶחָ֛דthe oneאֶת־obj.הָאֶחָ֖דthe oneוַיָּ֥מֶתand he killedאֹתֽוֹ׃obj. him
7
וְהִנֵּה֩and there!קָ֨מָהit has risen upכָֽל־allהַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜הthe clanעַל־onשִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָmaidservant yourוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙and they have saidתְּנִ֣י׀deliver upאֶת־obj.מַכֵּ֣הthe one who struck downאָחִ֗יוof brother hisוּנְמִתֵ֙הוּ֙so we may put to death himבְּנֶ֤פֶשׁfor the life ofאָחִיו֙brother hisאֲשֶׁ֣רwhomהָרָ֔גhe killedוְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָהand let us destroyגַּ֣םalsoאֶת־obj.הַיּוֹרֵ֑שׁthe heirוְכִבּ֗וּand they will extinguishאֶת־obj.גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙coal myאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichנִשְׁאָ֔רָהit is leftלְבִלְתִּ֧יto notשִׂיםto establishלְאִישִׁ֛יfor husband myשֵׁ֥םa nameוּשְׁאֵרִ֖יתand a remnantעַל־onפְּנֵ֥יthe surface ofהָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פthe ground
8
9
10
11
וַתֹּאמֶר֩and she saidיִזְכָּר־let him rememberנָ֨אpleaseהַמֶּ֜לֶךְthe kingאֶת־obj.יְהוָ֣הYahwehאֱלֹהֶ֗יךָGod yourמֵהַרְבַּ֞תfrom increasingגֹּאֵ֤לthe avenger ofהַדָּם֙the bloodלְשַׁחֵ֔תto destroyוְלֹ֥אand notיַשְׁמִ֖ידוּthey will destroyאֶת־obj.בְּנִ֑יson myוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he saidחַי־by the lifeיְהוָ֔הof Yahwehאִם־ifיִפֹּ֛לit will fallמִשַּׂעֲרַ֥תone of the hairs ofבְּנֵ֖ךְson yourאָֽרְצָה׃the ground towards
12
13
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she saidהָֽאִשָּׁ֔הthe womanוְלָ֧מָּהand to why?חָשַׁ֛בְתָּהhave you plannedכָּזֹ֖אתlike thisעַל־onעַ֣םthe people ofאֱלֹהִ֑יםGodוּמִדַּבֵּ֨רand from because has spokenהַמֶּ֜לֶךְthe kingהַדָּבָ֤רthe wordהַזֶּה֙the thisכְּאָשֵׁ֔םlike a guilty personלְבִלְתִּ֛יto notהָשִׁ֥יבto bring backהַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe kingאֶֽת־obj.נִדְּחֽוֹ׃banished son his
14
כִּי־forמ֣וֹתcertainly to dieנָמ֔וּתwe will dieוְכַמַּ֙יִם֙and we are like the watersהַנִּגָּרִ֣יםwhich are spilledאַ֔רְצָהthe ground towardsאֲשֶׁ֖רwhichלֹ֣אnotיֵאָסֵ֑פוּthey will be gatheredוְלֹֽא־and notיִשָּׂ֤אhe takes awayאֱלֹהִים֙Godנֶ֔פֶשׁlifeוְחָשַׁב֙and he plansמַֽחֲשָׁב֔וֹתplansלְבִלְתִּ֛יto notיִדַּ֥חhe will be cast outמִמֶּ֖נּוּfrom himנִדָּֽח׃a banished one
15
וְ֠עַתָּהand nowאֲשֶׁר־whenבָּ֜אתִיI have comeלְדַבֵּ֨רto speakאֶל־toהַמֶּ֤לֶךְthe kingאֲדֹנִי֙lord myאֶת־obj.הַדָּבָ֣רthe wordהַזֶּ֔הthe thisכִּ֥יthatיֵֽרְאֻ֖נִיthey have made afraid meהָעָ֑םthe peopleוַתֹּ֤אמֶרand she saidשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙maidservant yourאֲדַבְּרָה־let me speakנָּ֣אpleaseאֶל־toהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingאוּלַ֛יperhapsיַעֲשֶׂ֥הhe will doהַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe kingאֶת־obj.דְּבַ֥רthe word ofאֲמָתֽוֹ׃maidservant his
16
17
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she saidשִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔maidservant yourיִֽהְיֶה־may it becomeנָּ֛אpleaseדְּבַר־the word ofאֲדֹנִ֥יlord myהַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe kingלִמְנוּחָ֑הinto restכִּ֣י׀forכְּמַלְאַ֣ךְlike the angel ofהָאֱלֹהִ֗יםthe Godכֵּ֣ןis soאֲדֹנִ֤יlord myהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the kingלִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙to hearהַטּ֣וֹבthe goodוְהָרָ֔עand the badוַֽיהוָ֥הand Yahwehאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod yourיְהִ֥יmay he beעִמָּֽךְ׃ פwith you
18
וַיַּ֣עַןand he answeredהַמֶּ֗לֶךְthe kingוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he saidאֶל־toהָ֣אִשָּׁ֔הthe womanאַל־may notנָ֨אpleaseתְכַחֲדִ֤יyou hideמִמֶּ֙נִּי֙from meדָּבָ֔רanythingאֲשֶׁ֥רwhichאָנֹכִ֖יIשֹׁאֵ֣לam askingאֹתָ֑ךְobj. youוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she saidהָֽאִשָּׁ֔הthe womanיְדַבֶּר־let him speakנָ֖אpleaseאֲדֹנִ֥יlord myהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
19
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingהֲיַ֥ד¿ is the hand ofיוֹאָ֛בJoabאִתָּ֖ךְwith youבְּכָל־in allזֹ֑אתthisוַתַּ֣עַןand she answeredהָאִשָּׁ֣הthe womanוַתֹּ֡אמֶרand she saidחֵֽי־by the life ofנַפְשְׁךָ֩self yourאֲדֹנִ֨יO lord myהַמֶּ֜לֶךְthe kingאִם־ifאִ֣שׁ׀there isלְהֵמִ֣יןto go to the rightוּלְהַשְׂמִ֗ילand to go to the leftמִכֹּ֤לfrom allאֲשֶׁר־thatדִּבֶּר֙he has spokenאֲדֹנִ֣יlord myהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingכִּֽי־forעַבְדְּךָ֤servant yourיוֹאָב֙Joabה֣וּאheצִוָּ֔נִיhe commanded meוְה֗וּאand heשָׂ֚םhe putבְּפִ֣יin the mouth ofשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֔maidservant yourאֵ֥תobj.כָּל־allהַדְּבָרִ֖יםthe wordsהָאֵֽלֶּה׃the these
20
לְבַעֲב֤וּרto in orderסַבֵּב֙to changeאֶת־obj.פְּנֵ֣יthe face ofהַדָּבָ֔רthe matterעָשָׂ֛הhe didעַבְדְּךָ֥servant yourיוֹאָ֖בJoabאֶת־obj.הַדָּבָ֣רthe thingהַזֶּ֑הthe thisוַאדֹנִ֣יand lord myחָכָ֗םis wiseכְּחָכְמַת֙like the wisdom ofמַלְאַ֣ךְthe angel ofהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםthe Godלָדַ֖עַתto knowאֶֽת־obj.כָּל־allאֲשֶׁ֥רthatבָּאָֽרֶץ׃ סis in the land
21
22
וַיִּפֹּל֩and he fellיוֹאָ֨בJoabאֶל־toפָּנָ֥יוface hisאַ֛רְצָהthe ground towardsוַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּand he bowed downוַיְבָ֣רֶךְand he blessedאֶת־obj.הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe kingוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidיוֹאָ֡בJoabהַיּוֹם֩this dayיָדַ֨עhe knowsעַבְדְּךָ֜servant yourכִּי־thatמָצָ֨אתִיI have foundחֵ֤ןfavorבְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙in view yourאֲדֹנִ֣יO lord myהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingאֲשֶׁר־thatעָשָׂ֥הhe has doneהַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe kingאֶת־obj.דְּבַ֥רthe word ofעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃servant your
23
24
25
26
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮and when shaved heאֶת־obj.רֹאשׁוֹ֒head hisוְֽ֠הָיָהand it wasמִקֵּ֨ץfrom the end ofיָמִ֤ים׀daysלַיָּמִים֙to the daysאֲשֶׁ֣רwhenיְגַלֵּ֔חַhe shavedכִּֽי־forכָבֵ֥דit was heavyעָלָ֖יוon himוְגִלְּח֑וֹand he shaved itוְשָׁקַל֙and he weighedאֶת־obj.שְׂעַ֣רthe hair ofרֹאשׁ֔וֹhead hisמָאתַ֥יִםtwo hundredשְׁקָלִ֖יםshekelsבְּאֶ֥בֶןby the weight ofהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
27
28
29
30
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he saidאֶל־toעֲבָדָ֜יוservants hisרְאוּ֩seeחֶלְקַ֨תthe portion of land ofיוֹאָ֤בJoabאֶל־is toיָדִי֙hand myוְלוֹ־and belongs to the himשָׁ֣םthereשְׂעֹרִ֔יםbarleysלְכ֖וּgoוְהַצִּית֣וּהָand set on fire itבָאֵ֑שׁwith the fireוַיַּצִּ֜תוּand they set on fireעַבְדֵ֧יthe servants ofאַבְשָׁל֛וֹםAbsalomאֶת־obj.הַחֶלְקָ֖הthe portion of landבָּאֵֽשׁ׃ פwith the fire
31
32
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidאַבְשָׁל֣וֹםAbsalomאֶל־toיוֹאָ֡בJoabהִנֵּ֣הhere!שָׁלַ֣חְתִּיI sentאֵלֶ֣יךָ׀to youלֵאמֹ֡רto sayingבֹּ֣אcomeהֵ֠נָּהhereוְאֶשְׁלְחָה֩so let me sendאֹתְךָ֨obj. youאֶל־toהַמֶּ֜לֶךְthe kingלֵאמֹ֗רto sayingלָ֤מָּהto why?בָּ֙אתִי֙have I comeמִגְּשׁ֔וּרfrom Geshurט֥וֹבwas goodלִ֖יfor the meעֹ֣דstillאֲנִי־Iשָׁ֑םwas thereוְעַתָּ֗הand thereforeאֶרְאֶה֙let me seeפְּנֵ֣יthe face ofהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingוְאִם־and ifיֶשׁ־thereבִּ֥יin the meעָוֹ֖ןis iniquityוֶהֱמִתָֽנִי׃and he will kill me
33
וַיָּבֹ֨אand he wentיוֹאָ֣בJoabאֶל־toהַמֶּלֶךְ֮the kingוַיַּגֶּד־and he toldלוֹ֒to the himוַיִּקְרָ֤אand he summonedאֶל־toאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙Absalomוַיָּבֹ֣אand he cameאֶל־toהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingוַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּand he bowed downל֧וֹto the himעַל־onאַפָּ֛יוface hisאַ֖רְצָהthe ground towardsלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeהַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe kingוַיִּשַּׁ֥קand he kissedהַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe kingלְאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ פto Absalom
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Bible translation?
No — it's a word-for-word rendering of the original Hebrew text, tagged with Strong's numbers, so you can see exactly which original word underlies each part of the verse. For a devotional reading, see our Bible verses by topic section, which uses the King James Version.
What do the faded (italic) words mean?
They're words the Hebrew implies grammatically but that wouldn't be spoken as a separate word in natural English — shown here so nothing from the original text is hidden.
How do I look up what a word means?
Click any word — it links straight to that word's entry in our Strong's Concordance, with the full definition and how it's used elsewhere in the Bible.
Need a different tool?
Explore the whole Calcs family here.
Think we tagged a word wrong?
