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Texts -- 2 Samuel 14:2-33 (NET)

Context
14:2 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 . 14:3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion .” Then Joab told her what to say . 14:4 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 !” 14:5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” She answered , “I am a widow ; my husband is dead . 14:6 Your servant has two sons . When the two of them got into a fight in the field , there was no one present who could intervene . One of them struck the other and killed him. 14:7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant , saying , ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother , so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed . In so doing we will also destroy the heir .’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal , leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.” 14:8 Then the king told the woman , “Go to your home . I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 14:9 The Tekoan woman said to the king , “My lord the king , let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father . But let the king and his throne be innocent !” 14:10 The king said , “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again !” 14:11 She replied , “In that case , let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill ! Then they will not destroy my son !” He replied , “As surely as the Lord lives , not a single hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground .” 14:12 Then the woman said , “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter .” He replied , “Tell me.” 14:13 The woman said , “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people ? When the king speaks in this fashion , he makes himself guilty , for the king has not brought back the one he has banished . 14:14 Certainly we must die , and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life ; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored . 14:15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter , because the people have made me fearful . But your servant said , ‘I will speak to the king ! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks . 14:16 Yes ! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 14:17 So your servant said , ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security , for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong ! May the Lord your God be with you!’” 14:18 Then the king replied to the woman , “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said , “Let my lord the king speak !” 14:19 The king said , “Did Joab put you up to all of this ?” The woman answered , “As surely as you live , my lord the king , there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said . For your servant Joab gave me instructions . He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth . 14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation . But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God , and knows everything that is happening in the land .” 14:21 Then the king said to Joab , “All right! I will do this thing ! Go and bring back the young man Absalom ! 14:22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked the king . Joab said , “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight , my lord the king , because the king has granted the request of your servant !” 14:23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem . 14:24 But the king said , “Let him go over to his own house . He may not see my face .” So Absalom went over to his own house ; he did not see the king’s face . 14:25 Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom . From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance. 14:26 When he would shave his head – at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long and he would shave it– he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds according to the king’s weight . 14:27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter , whose name was Tamar . She was a very attractive woman . 14:28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face . 14:29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king , but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come . 14:30 So he said to his servants , “Look , Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there . Go and set it on fire .” So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s portion of the field on fire . 14:31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house . He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire ?” 14:32 Absalom said to Joab , “Look , I sent a message to you saying , ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur ? It would be better for me if I were still there .”’ Let me now see the face of the king . If I am at fault , let him put me to death !” 14:33 So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king summoned Absalom , and he came to the king . Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.

Pericope

NET
  • 2Sa 14:1-33 -- David Permits Absalom to Return to Jerusalem

Bible Dictionary

  • Joab

    [isbe] JOAB - jo'-ab (yo'-abh, "Yahweh is father"; Ioab): (1) Son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was "captain of the host" (compare 2 Sam 19:13) under David. 1. Joab and Abner: (a) Joab is first introduced in the narrative of the w...
    [smith] (whose father is Jehovah), the most remarkable of the three nephews of David, the children of Zeruiah, David?s sister. (B.C. 1053-1012.) Joab first appears after David?s accession to the throne at Hebron. Abner slew in battle...
    [nave] JOAB 1. Son of David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. Commander of David's army, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chr. 11:6; 18:15; 27:34. Dedicated spoils of his battles, 1 Chr. 26:28. Defeated the Jebusites, 1 Chr. 11:6. Defeats and slays ...

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Chronicles, Books of

    [ebd] The two books were originally one. They bore the title in the Massoretic Hebrew Dibre hayyamim, i.e., "Acts of the Days." This title was rendered by Jerome in his Latin version "Chronicon," and hence "Chronicles." In the Sep...

  • AMOS (1)

    [isbe] AMOS (1) - a'-mos (`amoc, "burdensome" or "burden-bearer"; Amos): I. THE PROPHET 1. Name 2. Native Place 3. Personal History 4. His Preparation (1) Knowledge of God (2) Acquaintance with History of His People (3) Personal Tr...

  • SAMUEL, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...

  • Absalom

    [ebd] father of peace; i.e., "peaceful" David's son by Maacah (2 Sam. 3:3; comp. 1 Kings 1:6). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Sam. 14:25,26). The first public a...
    [nave] ABSALOM, called also Abishalom. Son of David by Maacah, 2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2. Beauty of, 2 Sam. 14:25. Slays Amnon, 2 Sam. 13:22-29. Flees to Geshur, 2 Sam. 13:37, 38. Is permitted by David to return to Jerusalem, 2 Sa...

  • Kindness

    [nave] KINDNESS. Lev. 19:34; Deut. 22:1 vs. 2-4.; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 14:21; Prov. 19:22; Prov. 31:26; Isa. 11:13; Zech. 7:9, 10; Matt. 5:7, 42 Luke 6:30. Matt. 25:34-36; Luke 6:34, 35; Acts 20:35; Rom. 12:15; Rom. 15:1, 2, 5; 1 Cor...

  • Intercession

    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Tact

    [nave] TACT Prov. 15:1; 25:15. In preaching, 1 Cor. 9:19-22; 2 Cor. 12:6. Of Gideon, Judg. 8:1-3. Of Saul, in managing malcontents, 1 Sam. 10:27; 11:7, 12-15. Nabal's wife, Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:18-37. In David's popular methods:...

  • Dishonesty

    [nave] DISHONESTY. Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:13, 35, 36; Deut. 25:13, 15, 16; Job 24:2-11; Psa. 37:21; Psa. 50:18; Psa. 62:10; Prov. 3:27, 28; Prov. 11:1; Prov. 20:10, 14, 17, 23; Isa. 32:7; Jer. 7:8-10; Jer. 9:4-6, 8; Jer. 22:13; Ezek....

  • EDUCATION

    [isbe] EDUCATION - ed-u-ka'-shun: I. EDUCATION DEFINED II. EDUCATION IN EARLY ISRAEL 1. Nomadic and Agricultural Periods 2. The Monarchical Period 3. Deuteronomic Legislation 4. Reading and Writing III. EDUCATION IN LATER ISRAEL 1....

  • Avenger of Blood

    [ebd] (Heb. goel, from verb gaal, "to be near of kin," "to redeem"), the nearest relative of a murdered person. It was his right and duty to slay the murderer (2 Sam. 14:7, 11) if he found him outside of a city of refuge. In order...
    [nave] AVENGER OF BLOOD Pre-mosaic, Gen. 9:5, 6. Cain fears, Gen. 4:14, 15. Lamech fears, Gen. 4:24. Law concerning, set aside by David, 2 Sam. 14:4-11. See: Homicide. Figurative Psa. 8:2; 44:16; Rom. 13:4; 1 Thess. 4:6. Scr...

  • Hair

    [ebd] (1.) The Egyptians let the hair of their head and beard grow only when they were in mourning, shaving it off at other times. "So particular were they on this point that to have neglected it was a subject of reproach and ridi...
    [isbe] HAIR - har (se`ar, sa`ar, Aramaic se`ar, and their derivatives; thrix, gen. case trichos, kome): 1. Hair Fashions: Hair was worn in different fashions by the Orientals of Biblical times, and not always in the same way among ...
    [smith] The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men. (2 Samuel 14:26) In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. (Isaiah ...
    [nave] HAIR Numbered, Matt. 10:30; Luke 12:7. Worn long by women, Isa. 3:24; Luke 7:38; 1 Cor. 11:5, 6, 15; 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:3; Rev. 9:8; by Absalom, 2 Sam. 14:26. Worn short by men, 1 Cor. 11:14. Symbolical dividing of, Eze...

  • Parables

    [nave] PARABLES Of the trees, Judg. 9:8-15. Of the lamb, 2 Sam. 12:1-6. Of the woman of Tekoa, 2 Sam. 14:5-12. Of the garment torn in pieces, 1 Kin. 11:30-32. Of the prisoner of war, 1 Kin. 20:39-42. Of the thistle and cedar, ...

  • LAW OF MOSES

    [smith] It will be the object of this article to give a brief analysis of the substance of this law, to point out its main principles, and to explain the position which it occupies in the progress of divine revelation. In order to do...

  • Flattery

    [nave] FLATTERY. Job 17:5; Job 32:21, 22; Psa. 5:8, 9; Psa. 12:2, 3 Psa. 5:9; Psa. 36:2; Psa. 49:13 Prov. 6:24. Psa. 78:36 Rom. 16:18. Prov. 5:3; Prov. 7:5, 21; Prov. 14:20; Prov. 19:4, 6; Prov. 20:19; Prov. 22:16; Prov. 24:24; Pr...

  • MURDER

    [isbe] MURDER - 1. Terms: mur'-der (haragh, "to smite," "destroy," "kill," "slay" (Ps 10:8; Hos 9:13 AV]), ratsach, "to dash to pieces," "kill," especially with premeditation (Nu 35:16 and frequently; Job 24:14; Ps 94:6; Jer 7:9; H...
    [smith] The law of Moses, while it protected the accidental homicide, defined with additional strictness the crime of murder. It prohibited compensation or reprieve of the murderer, or his protection if he took refuge in the refuge c...

  • Exile

    [nave] EXILE Absalom, 2 Sam. 14:13, 14, 24. Ittai, 2 Sam. 15:19. See: Deportation.

  • ADORATION

    [isbe] ADORATION - ad-o-ra'-shun: Though this word never occurs in English Versions, it represents aspects of worship which are very prominent in the Bible. I. Etymology. The word is derived from Latin adorare = (1) "to speak to," ...
    [smith] The acts and postures by which the Hebrews expressed adoration bear a great similarity to those still in use among Oriental nations. To rise up and suddenly prostrate the body was the most simple method; but, generally speaki...

  • Kiss

    [ebd] of affection (Gen. 27:26, 27; 29:13; Luke 7:38, 45); reconciliation (Gen. 33:4; 2 Sam. 14:33); leave-taking (Gen. 31:28,55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Sam. 19:39); homage (Ps. 2:12; 1 Sam. 10:1); spoken of as between parents and children ...
    [isbe] KISS - (nashaq; phileo, kataphilo, philema): The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Pal) the lips (Cheyne, E B, under the word "Saluta...
    [nave] KISS Of affection, Gen. 27:26, 27; 31:55; 33:4; 48:10; 50:1; Ex. 18:7; Ruth 1:14; 2 Sam. 14:33; 19:39; Luke 15:20; Acts 20:37. The feet of Jesus kissed by the penitent woman, Luke 7:38. Deceitful, Prov. 27:6; of Joab, when...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob was ready to sacrifice part of his family expecting Esau to attack him, and he approached his brother as though Esau was his lord. In contrast, Esau welcomed Jacob magnanimously, reluctantly received his gift, and offer...
  • The emphasis in this section continues to be on the importance of maintaining purity in the camp so God's blessing on Israel might continue unabated.The Nazarite (from the Hebrew root nazar, meaning "to separate") illustrated...
  • Wheat harvest took place in late May or early June in this part of Palestine.266Samson's anger had cooled, and he decided to return to Timnah and arrange for the completion of his marriage. Instead of flowers or candy he took...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • Samuel's years of being a blessing to all Israel ended at this time. David took his place as God's major channel of blessing to the nation. It is appropriate that the notice of Samuel's death occurs here since Saul had just a...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:51. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 12. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a3. David's overtures to Jabesh-g...
  • The first 20 chapters of 2 Samuel are divisible into four units each of which ends with a list of names that is four verses long (1:1-3:5; 3:6-5:16; 5:17-8:18; 9:1-20:26).2The first two units conclude with lists of David's so...
  • "Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan's brothers) are dead (1 Sam 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead--and no other viable claimants or pretenders cont...
  • "As the story of David's accession to kingship over Judah (1:1-3:5) parallels that of his accession to the throne of Israel (3:6-5:16), each concluding with a list of his sons (3:2-5; 5:13-16), so the account of his powerful ...
  • The promises Yahweh made to David here are an important key to understanding God's program for the future.God rejected David's suggestion that he build a temple for the Lord and gave three reasons. First, there was no pressin...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • At first, David piously tried to salve Joab's conscience for his complicity in Uriah's death (11:25). The Hebrew word translated "displease"literally means "be evil in your sight."David was calling what was sin something othe...
  • This is the longest literary section in the Court History of David (chs. 9-20). It records Absalom's antagonism to David that resulted in the king having to flee Jerusalem, but it ends with David's defeat of his enemy and his...
  • Evidently Joab (David's commander-in-chief and nephew by his half-sister, Zeruiah) concluded that it would be politically better for David and Israel if David brought Absalom back to Jerusalem from Geshur (cf. vv. 7, 13-15). ...
  • Joab's masquerade proved effective. David agreed to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem (v. 21). However even though he did not execute him, neither did David restore Absalom to fellowship with himself (v. 24). His forgivene...
  • Absalom was never Yahweh's choice to succeed David (cf. 12:24-25; 1 Chron. 22:9-10). Therefore his attempt to dethrone the Lord's anointed was contrary to God's will and doomed to fail from the beginning. Even though he was p...
  • This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's (17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David swung in his dealings with Ab...
  • "The mule was a royal mount; losing his mule [v. 9] Absalom has lost his kingdom."258The text says Absalom's head caught in an overhanging oak branch (v. 9). Josephus interpreted this, perhaps in view of 14:26, as his hair go...
  • "The account of Sheba's rebellion against David serves as a counterpoise to the story of Absalom's conspiracy (15:1-12) in chapters 15-20, which constitute the major part of the narrative that comprises chapters 13-20 (more p...
  • "With Joab's return to the king in Jerusalem, the grand symphony known as the Court History of David reaches its conclusion for all practical purposes (at least as far as the books of Samuel are concerned . . .). The last fou...
  • Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
  • The first segment of the writer's story (1:1-2:12) continues the history of Israel's monarchy where 2 Samuel ended. It records the final events in David's reign that led to Solomon's succession to the throne. It answers the q...
  • David had warned Solomon to keep Shimei under close observation and to put him to death (vv. 8-9). Evidently David realized because of Shimei's past actions that it would only be a matter of time before he would do something ...
  • The events we read in chapter 3 took place four years after Esther became queen (cf. 2:16; 3:7).Agag was the name of an area in Media that had become part of the Persian Empire.54However, Agag was also the name of the Amaleki...
  • These verses reveal that angels ("sons of God,"v. 6), including Satan, periodically report to God on their activities. Satan was doing then what he still does today, namely, "seeking whom he may devour"(1 Pet. 5:8).25Satan's ...
  • "But it is just here, when everything is blackest, that his faith . . . like the rainbow in the cloud . . . shines with a marvelous splendor."89This short section contains probably the best known verses in the book (vv. 23-27...
  • 31:2 The unusual address, "What, O my son?"is "affectionately reproachful."210She was getting his attention and appealed to him strongly to give heed to her words for two reasons. She had borne him, and he had some connection...
  • 21:8 The people where acknowledging Jesus as a King by spreading their garments on the road before Him (cf. 2 Kings 9:13). Likewise throwing small branches before Him symbolized the same thing (cf. 1 Macc. 13:51; 2 Macc. 10:7...
  • 15:11-12 The man in the story had two sons, a younger and an older one (v. 25). Therefore the younger son's inheritance would normally have been one-third of his father's estate since the older son would have received a doubl...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 2 Samuel 14:14David's good-for-nothing son Absalom had brought about the murder of one of his brothers, and had fled the country. His father weakly loved the brilliant blackguard, and would fain have had him back, but was res...
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