2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 unfolds around the events related to Absalom’s return. This chapter covers how, after the fallout from the Amnon and Tamar incident in the previous chapter led the prince Absalom to be driven out of Jerusalem, King David summons him back. The story’s background and the roles of David, Joab, and the woman of Tekoa form an important thread.
1verseNow Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
2verseJoab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, 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.
3verseGo in to the king and speak like this to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.
4verseWhen the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, and said, “Help, O king!”
5verseThe king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
6verseYour servant had two sons; and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.
7verseBehold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”
8verseThe king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”
9verseThe woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”
10verseThe king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you any more.”
11verseThen she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”
12verseThen the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”
13verseThe woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.
14verseFor we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.
15verseNow therefore, seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’
16verseFor the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
17verseThen your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the LORD, your God, be with you.’”
18verseThen the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”
19verseThe king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
20verseYour servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.”
21verseThe king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”
22verseJoab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”
23verseSo Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24verseThe king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.
25verseNow in all Israel there was no one to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.
26verseWhen he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.
27verseThree sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.
28verseAbsalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.
29verseThen Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. Then he sent again a second time, but he would not come.
30verseTherefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31verseThen Joab arose and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32verseAbsalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”
33verseSo Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.
Main Flow and Structure of the Passage
- Verses 1-3: Recognizing the situation – Joab realizes that David’s mind is turning toward Absalom and calls the wise woman from Tekoa to set a plan in motion.
- Verses 4-20: The parable of the woman of Tekoa – In front of David, the woman of Tekoa urges the king’s compassion with a parable claiming that one of her two sons was killed by the other. Through this, it shows David struggling between his earlier legal principles and his emotions.
- Verses 21-24: Absalom’s decision to return – David allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but keeps him from seeing the king’s face. This shows that forgiveness is given, yet full reconciliation is not achieved.
- Verses 25-33: Absalom’s traits and his reunion – Absalom is depicted as outstanding in both appearance and popularity. With Joab’s help to restore his position, he ultimately comes face to face with King David.
Overall Meaning and Lessons
This chapter addresses the difficulty of conflict, forgiveness, and reconciliation in human relationships. As a father, David longs for Absalom, yet as king he experiences inner conflict in his efforts to uphold justice and authority. Through the wise approach of the woman of Tekoa and Joab’s mediation, the king eventually accepts his son, but complete reconciliation does not take place. This process clearly shows that forgiveness and restoring relationships are not simple matters.
Points for Reflection
- In relationships, what kind of process should wounds, forgiveness, and reconciliation go through?
- When, like David, we are torn between justice and love, responsibility and emotion, how can we maintain balance?
- What can we learn from the role of the wise woman of Tekoa and the mediator, Joab?
Put It into Practice for Yourself
- Let’s look back and see whether there is any knot tied in my relationships, and think about what I can do to achieve forgiveness and reconciliation.
- When I struggle between my emotions and my responsibilities, let’s pray and think carefully about what choice I should make so that I can be fully whole before God and people.
