2 Samuel 14:12
New International Version
Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” “Speak,” he replied.

New Living Translation
“Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said. “Go ahead and speak,” he responded.

English Standard Version
Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied.

King James Bible
Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

New King James Version
Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”

New American Standard Bible
Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

NASB 1995
Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

NASB 1977
Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the woman said, “Please let your servant-woman speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

Amplified Bible
Then the woman said, “Please let your maidservant speak one more word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king? ” “Speak,” he replied.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?"” Speak,” he replied.

American Standard Version
Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

Contemporary English Version
Then she asked, "Your Majesty, may I say something?" "Yes," he answered.

English Revised Version
Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The woman said, "Please let me say something else to you." "Speak," he said.

Good News Translation
"Please, Your Majesty, let me say just one more thing," the woman said. "All right," he answered.

International Standard Version
At this, the woman responded, "Would your majesty the king please allow your humble servant to say one more thing?" "Say it…" he replied.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the woman said, ?Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?? ?Speak,? he replied.

NET Bible
Then the woman said, "Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter." He replied, "Tell me."

New Heart English Bible
The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

World English Bible
Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the woman says, “Please let your maidservant speak a word to my lord the king”; and he says, “Speak.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the woman saith, 'Let, I pray thee, thy maid-servant speak unto my lord the king a word;' and he saith, 'Speak.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the woman will say, Shall thy servant speak now a word to my lord the king? And the king will say, Speak.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the woman said: Let thy handmaid speak one word to my lord the king. And he said: Speak.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the woman said, “Let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

New American Bible
But the woman continued, “Please let your servant say still another word to my lord the king.” He replied, “Speak.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the woman said, Let your handmaid speak a word to the king, and he said to her, Speak.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the woman said: “Let your Maid Servant speak a word to the King.” The King said to her, “Speak”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then the woman said: 'Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king.' And he said: 'Say on.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the woman said, Let now thy servant speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom's Return to Jerusalem
11“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.” 12Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied. 13The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son?…

Cross References
2 Samuel 12:1-7
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. / The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, / but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him. ...

2 Samuel 13:39
And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.

2 Samuel 15:1-6
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him. / He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” / Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” ...

1 Kings 1:11-14
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? / Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. / Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ...

1 Kings 2:13-18
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. / Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered. / “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ...

Genesis 18:23-33
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? / What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? / Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” ...

Genesis 44:18-34
Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. / My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ / And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’ ...

Esther 7:3-4
Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request. / For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”

Job 23:3-5
If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat. / I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. / I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

Jeremiah 38:14-27
Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.” / “If I tell you,” Jeremiah replied, “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” / But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.” ...

Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” / Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! / Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ...

Matthew 20:20-23
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him. / “What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.” / “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered. ...

Luke 7:40-43
But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. / “Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. / When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” ...


Treasury of Scripture

Then the woman said, Let your handmaid, I pray you, speak one word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

Let thine

1 Samuel 25:24
And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

speak one word

Genesis 18:27,32
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: …

Genesis 44:18
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

Jeremiah 12:1
Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Say on

Acts 26:1
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

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2 Samuel 14
1. Joab, suborning a widow of Tekoah to incline the king's heart to fetch Absalom,
21. brings him home to Jerusalem
25. Absalom's beauty, hair, and children
28. After two years, Absalom is brought into the king's presence by Joab














Then the woman said
This phrase introduces us to the woman from Tekoa, a wise woman whom Joab enlisted to speak to King David. The Hebrew word for "woman" here is "ishah," which can denote a woman of any status, but in this context, it highlights her role as a mediator. Her approach is strategic and respectful, setting the stage for her to deliver a carefully crafted message. Historically, women in ancient Israel often played significant roles in diplomacy and peacemaking, as seen in other biblical accounts.

Please, may your servant
The word "please" is translated from the Hebrew "na," a particle of entreaty, indicating humility and respect. The term "servant" is "ebed" in Hebrew, which signifies a position of submission and service. By referring to herself as a servant, the woman acknowledges the king's authority and her own lower status, which was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern court etiquette. This approach is designed to gain the king's favor and attention.

speak a word
The phrase "speak a word" is significant in the Hebrew context, where "dabar" (word) often implies a matter of importance or a message with weight. In biblical times, words were powerful and could convey authority, wisdom, or prophecy. The woman's request to speak a word suggests that she has something of significance to communicate, which requires the king's attention and consideration.

to my lord the king?
The title "my lord the king" is a formal address, showing deference and respect. The Hebrew "adon" (lord) is a term of honor, and "melek" (king) acknowledges David's sovereign position. This respectful address is crucial in gaining an audience with the king, as it reinforces the woman's recognition of his authority and her own position as a petitioner.

'Speak,' he replied
David's response, "Speak," is a simple yet powerful acknowledgment of the woman's request. The Hebrew verb "amar" (speak) indicates permission granted by the king, showing his willingness to listen. This moment reflects David's openness to hear grievances and his role as a just ruler who is accessible to his people. It also sets the stage for the unfolding of the narrative, where the woman's words will have a profound impact on David's decisions regarding his estranged son Absalom.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the woman
הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה (hā·’iš·šāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

said,
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Please,
נָ֧א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

may your servant
שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ (šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

speak
תְּדַבֶּר־ (tə·ḏab·ber-)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

a word
דָּבָ֑ר (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

my lord
אֲדֹנִ֥י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

the king?”
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

“Speak,”
דַּבֵּֽרִי׃ (dab·bê·rî)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

he replied.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: 2 Samuel 14:12 Then the woman said Please let your (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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