2 Samuel 14:2 net — So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her,“Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments f…

NET Bible

"So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her,“Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time."

— 2 Samuel 14:2, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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2 Samuel 14:2 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:”

  • ASV

    “And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead: ”

  • WEB

    “Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, 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.”

  • DRB

    “Sent to Thecua, and fetched from thence a wise woman: and said to her: Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and be not anointed with oil, that thou mayest be as a woman that had a long time been mourning for one dead.”

  • BBE

    “And Joab sent to Tekoa and got from there a wise woman, and said to her, Now make yourself seem like one given up to grief, and put on the clothing of sorrow, not using any sweet oil for your body, but looking like one who for a long time has been weeping for the dead:”

  • KJVA

    “And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:”

2 Samuel 14 — Context

1

David Permits Absalom to Return to Jerusalem Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom.

2

So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her,“Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.

3

Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.

4

So the Tekoan woman went to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said,“Please help me, O king!”

5

The king replied to her,“What do you want?” She answered,“I am a widow; my husband is dead.

2 Samuel 14:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 14:2 say?
2 Samuel 14:2 in the NET Bible reads: “So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her,“Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.”
Where is 2 Samuel 14:2 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 14:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 14, verse 2.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 14:2.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 14:2 in?
2 Samuel 14:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 14:2?
2 Samuel 14:2 reads (NET): “So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her,“Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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