Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
1Joab, the son of Zeruiah, knew that the king longed to see Absalom. 2So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to have a wise woman brought back from there. Joab said to her, “Pretend you are filled with sadness. Put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Don’t use any makeup. Act like a woman who has spent many days mourning for someone who has died. 3Then go to the king. Give him the message I’m about to give you.” And Joab told her what to say.
4The woman from Tekoa went to the king. She bowed down with her face toward the ground. She did it to show him respect. She said, “Your Majesty, please help me!”
5The king asked her, “What’s bothering you?”
She said, “I’m a widow. My husband is dead. 6I had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in a field. No one was there to separate them. One of my sons struck down the other one and killed him. 7Now my whole family group has risen up against me. They say, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother. Then we can put him to death for killing his brother. That will also get rid of the one who will receive the family property.’ They want to kill the only living son I have left, just as someone would put out a burning coal. That would leave my husband without any son on the face of the earth to carry on the family name.”
8The king said to the woman, “Go home. I’ll give an order to make sure you are taken care of.”
9But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “You are my king and master. Please pardon me and my family. You and your royal family won’t be guilty of doing anything wrong.”
10The king replied, “If people give you any trouble, bring them to me. They won’t bother you again.”
11She said, “Please pray to the Lord your God. Pray that he will keep our nearest male relative from killing my other son. Then my son won’t be destroyed.”
“You can be sure that the Lord lives,” the king said. “And you can be just as sure that not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
12Then the woman said, “King David, please let me say something else to you.”
“Go ahead,” he replied.
13The woman said, “You are the king. So why have you done something that brings so much harm on God’s people? When you do that, you hand down a sentence against yourself. You won’t let the son you drove away come back. 14All of us must die. We are like water spilled on the ground. It can’t be put back into the jar. But that is not what God desires. Instead, he finds a way to bring back anyone who was driven away from him.
15“King David, I’ve come here to say this to you now. I’ve done it because people have made me afraid. I thought, ‘I’ll go and speak to the king. Perhaps he’ll do what I’m asking. 16A man is trying to separate me and my son from the property God gave us. Perhaps the king will agree to save me from that man.’
17“So now I’m saying, ‘May what you have told me prevent that man from doing what he wants. You are like an angel of God. You know what is good and what is evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’ ”
18Then the king said to the woman, “I’m going to ask you a question. I want you to tell me the truth.”
“Please ask me anything you want to,” the woman said.
19The king asked, “Joab told you to say all of this, didn’t he?”
The woman answered, “What you have told me is exactly right. And that’s just as sure as you are alive. It’s true that Joab directed me to do this. He told me everything he wanted me to say. 20He did it to change the way things now are. You are as wise as an angel of God. You know everything that happens in the land.”
21Later the king said to Joab, “All right. I’ll do what you want. Go. Bring back the young man Absalom.”
22Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground. He did it to honor the king. And he asked God to bless the king. He said, “You are my king and master. Today I know that you are pleased with me. You have given me what I asked for.”
23Then Joab went to Geshur. He brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24But the king said, “He must go to his own house. I don’t want him to come and see me.” So Absalom went to his own house. He didn’t go to see the king.
25In the whole land of Israel there wasn’t any man as handsome as Absalom was. That’s why everyone praised him. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet he didn’t have any flaws. 26He used to cut his hair once a year when it became too heavy for him. Then he would weigh it. It weighed five pounds in keeping with the standard weights used in the palace.
27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar. She became a beautiful woman.
28Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without going to see the king. 29Then Absalom sent for Joab. He wanted to send Joab to the king. But Joab refused to come to Absalom. So Absalom sent for him a second time. But Joab still refused to come. 30Then Absalom said to his servants, “Joab’s field is next to mine. He has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31Joab finally went to Absalom’s house. He said to Absalom, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32Absalom said to Joab, “I sent a message to you. I said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king. I want you to ask him for me, “Why did you bring me back from Geshur? I would be better off if I were still there!” ’ Now then, I want to go and see the king. If I’m guilty of doing anything wrong, let him put me to death.”
33So Joab went to the king and told him that. Then the king sent for Absalom. He came in and bowed down to the king with his face toward the ground. And the king kissed Absalom.
Abusaalomu Akomawo e Yerusaalemi
114:1 2Sa 2:18Awo Yowaabu mutabani wa Zeruyiya n’ategeera nga omutima gwa kabaka gulumirwa Abusaalomu. 214:2 a 2By 11:6; Nek 3:5; Yer 6:1; Am 1:1 b 2Sa 20:16 c Lus 3:3; 2Sa 12:20; Is 1:6Yowaabu n’atumya omukazi omugezigezi okuva e Tekowa, n’amugamba nti, “Weefuule akungubaga, oyambale engoye ez’okukungubaga, teweesiiga mafuta, obeere ng’omukyala amaze ennaku ennyingi ng’akungubagira omufu. 314:3 nny 19Genda eri kabaka, omugambe ebigambo bino.” Yowaabu n’amuwa ebigambo eby’okwogera.
4Awo omukazi ow’e Tekowa n’agenda eri kabaka, n’avuunama amaaso ge ku ttaka, ne yeeyanza, n’ayogera nti, “Mbeera, ayi kabaka.” 5Kabaka n’amubuuza nti, “Nkubeere mu ki?” N’addamu nti, “Ndi nnamwandu baze yafa. 6Nalina batabani bange babiri. Bombi baalwanira ku ttale ne wataba n’omu abataasa, omu n’atta munne. 714:7 a Kbl 35:19 b Mat 21:38 c Ma 19:10-13Kaakano ekika kyonna kiyimukidde omuweereza wo, nga boogera nti, ‘Tuwe omusajja oyo asse muganda we, tumutte olw’obulamu bwa muganda we gwe yatta, tutte n’omusika.’ Mu ngeri eyo banaaba bazikizza etabaaza yokka gye nsigazza, obutalekaawo linnya lya baze wange newaakubadde obusika bwe ku nsi yonna.”
814:8 1Sa 25:35Awo kabaka n’agamba omukazi nti, “Ddayo eka, nzija kukola ku nsonga yo.” 914:9 a 1Sa 25:24 b Mat 27:25 c 1Sa 25:28; 1Bk 2:33Naye omukazi ow’e Tekowa n’agamba kabaka nti, “Mukama wange kabaka, omusango ka gubeere ku nze, n’ennyumba ya kitange; kabaka n’obwakabaka bwe buleme kubeerako musango.”
10Kabaka n’addamu nti, “Bwe wanaabeerawo omuntu yenna abaako kya kugamba, mundeetere, taddeyo nate kukutawanya.”
1114:11 a Kbl 35:12, 21 b Mat 10:30 c 1Sa 14:45Omukazi n’ayogera nti, “Nkwegayiridde, kabaka, ondayirire eri Mukama Katonda wo, awalana eggwanga olw’omusaayi era aziyiza obubi okweyongera ku bubi, mutabani wange aleme okuzikirizibwa.” N’amuddamu nti, “Mukama nga bw’ali omulamu, tewaliba luviiri olwa mutabani wo olulimuva ku mutwe.”
12Awo omukazi n’agamba kabaka nti, “Nkwegayiridde, ka mbeeko ekigambo kye ŋŋamba mukama wange kabaka.” N’amuddamu nti, “Yogera.”
1314:13 a 2Sa 12:7; 1Bk 20:40 b 2Sa 13:38-39Omukazi n’ayogera nti, “Kiki ekikukoza ekigambo bwe kityo abantu ba Katonda? Kabaka aba teyeesalira yekka omusango kubanga takomezaawo omwana we eyagobebwa? 1414:14 a Yob 14:11; Zab 58:7; Is 19:5 b Yob 10:8; 17:13; 30:23; Zab 22:15; Beb 9:27 c Kbl 35:15, 25-28; Yob 34:15Ffenna tuli baakufa, ng’amazzi bwe gayiibwa ku ttaka, ne gatayinzika kuyooleka nate. Naye Katonda taggyawo bulamu, anoonya engeri gy’anaayinza okukomyawo omuntu abuze.
15“Kale nno ekyo kye kyandeese eri kabaka, kubanga abantu bantiisizza, ne baleetera omuweereza wo okulowooza nti, ‘Bwe nnaayogera ne kabaka, mpozzi aliddamu omuweereza we ky’amusaba. 1614:16 Kuv 34:9; 1Sa 26:19Oboolyawo kabaka anaawulira ensonga yange, n’alokola omuzaana we mu mukono gw’omusajja agezaako okunzikiriza nze n’omwana wange okutuggyako obusika Katonda bwe yatuwa.’
1714:17 a nny 20; 1Sa 29:9; 2Sa 19:27 b 1Bk 3:9; Dan 2:21“Era omuweereza wo yayogedde mu mutima gwe nti, ‘Ekigambo kya mukama wange kabaka kye kirimpummuza, kubanga mukama wange kabaka ali nga malayika wa Katonda mu kwawulamu ebirungi n’ebibi. Mukama Katonda wo abeere naawe.’ ”
18Awo kabaka n’agamba omukazi nti, “Tobaako n’ekimu ky’onkisa ku bye nnaakubuuza.” Omukazi n’addamu nti, “Mukama wange kabaka ambuuze.”
1914:19 nny 3Kabaka n’amubuuza nti, “Omukono gwa Yowaabu guli wamu naawe mu bigambo ebyo byonna?”
Omukazi n’amuddamu nti, “Nga bw’oli omulamu mukama wange kabaka, tewali ayinza okukubuzaabuza ng’adda ku mukono ogwa ddyo oba ogwa kkono okukuggya ku ky’oyogera mukama wange kabaka. Weewaawo, omuddu wo Yowaabu yeyandagidde, n’ampa n’ebigambo ebyo byonna. 2014:20 a 1Bk 3:12, 28; Is 28:6 b nny 17; 2Sa 18:13; 19:27Omuddu wo Yowaabu, ekyo y’akikoze okukyusa embeera eriwo kaakano. Naye mukama wange mugezigezi nga malayika wa Katonda amanyi byonna ebifa ku nsi.”
21Awo kabaka n’agamba Yowaabu nti, “Kale, nzija kukikola. Genda okime omuvubuka Abusaalomu.”
2214:22 Lub 47:7Awo Yowaabu n’agwa bugazi ku ttaka ne yeeyanza, n’asabira kabaka omukisa, n’ayogera nti, “Leero, omuddu wo ategedde ng’alabye ekisa mu maaso go, mukama wange kabaka, kubanga kabaka azeemu okwegayirira okw’omuddu we.”
23Yowaabu n’agenda e Gesuli n’akima Abusaalomu n’amukomyawo e Yerusaalemi. 24Naye kabaka n’awa ekiragiro nti, “Ateekwa kugenda mu nnyumba eyiye ku bubwe, tateekwa kulaba maaso gange.” Awo Abusaalomu n’abeera mu nnyumba eyiye ku bubwe, n’atalaba maaso ga kabaka.
25Mu Isirayiri yonna temwali n’omu eyatenderezebwa nga Abusaalomu olw’endabika ye ennungi, kubanga okuviira ddala ku mutwe okutuuka ku bigere teyaliiko kamogo. 2614:26 2Sa 18:9; Ez 44:20Buli lwe yasalanga enviiri ze, lwe zali ng’ennyingi ku mutwe gwe, obuzito bw’azo bw’ali nga kilo bbiri ne desimoolo ssatu ng’ebipimo bya kabaka bwe byali.
2714:27 a 2Sa 18:18 b 2Sa 13:1Abusaalomu n’azaalirwa abaana basatu aboobulenzi n’owoobuwala omu. Omuwala ye yali Tamali nga mukyala mulungi nnyo ku maaso.
28Abusaalomu n’abeera mu Yerusaalemi okumala emyaka ebiri nga talaba maaso ga kabaka. 29Awo Abusaalomu n’atumya Yowaabu amutume eri kabaka, naye Yowaabu n’atagendayo. N’amutumya omulundi ogwokubiri, naye era n’agaana okugenda yo. 3014:30 Kuv 9:31Abusaalomu n’agamba abaddu be nti, “Ennimiro ya Yowaabu eriraanye eyange, era alinamu sayiri. Mugende mugikumeko omuliro.” Awo abaddu ba Abusaalomu ne bagikumako omuliro ne bagyokya.
3114:31 Bal 15:5Yowaabu n’agolokoka n’agenda eri Abusaalomu mu nnyumba ye n’amubuuza nti, “Lwaki abaddu bo bookezza ennimiro yange?” 3214:32 a 2Sa 3:3 b 1Sa 20:8Abusaalomu n’agamba Yowaabu nti, “Laba, nakutumya, nga ŋŋamba ojje wano nkutume eri kabaka okumubuuza nti, ‘Lwaki nava e Gesuli? Kyandisinze singa nasigala eyo.’ Kaakano njagala kugenda mu maaso ga kabaka, obanga nnina omusango, anzite.”
3314:33 Lub 33:4; Luk 15:20Awo Yowaabu n’agenda eri kabaka, n’amutegeeza ebigambo ebyo. Kabaka n’atumya Abusaalomu, n’ajja, n’avuunama amaaso ge wansi mu maaso ga kabaka. Kabaka n’amunywegera.
