2 Samuel 14

King James Version

Full text for 2 Samuel Chapter 14

1¶ Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart [was] toward Absalom.

2And 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:

3And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

5And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I [am] indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

6And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and [there was] none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

7And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband [neither] name nor remainder upon the earth.

8And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9And the woman of Tekoah said unto 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.

10And the king said, Whosoever saith [ought] unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, [As] the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak [one] word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

14For we must needs die, and [are] as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect [any] person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

15Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, [it is] because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man [that would] destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so [is] my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

18Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

19And the king said, [Is not] the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, [As] thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

20To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all [things] that [are] in the earth.

21¶ And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

22And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.

23So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

25But in all Israel there was none 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 blemish in him.

26And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled [it]: because [the hair] was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

27And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name [was] Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

28¶ So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

29Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

30Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto [his] house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

32And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? [it had been] good for me [to have been] there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be [any] iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33So 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Joab, discerning King David's desire for Absalom's return, orchestrates a plan using a wise woman from Tekoah. The woman presents a fabricated parable to David, subtly advocating for the return of his banished son. David, understanding the ruse, commands Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, though initially forbidding him from seeing his face. After two years, Absalom forces a meeting with Joab, leading to his full reconciliation and a kiss from the king.

Medium Summary

Recognizing King David's longing for Absalom, Joab devises a scheme to facilitate his return. He dispatches a wise woman from Tekoah to present a fabricated case to the king: a widow whose surviving son, having killed his brother, is sought for vengeance, threatening her last heir. David, moved by the plea, promises protection for the son. The woman then skillfully applies her parable to David's own situation, urging him to bring back his banished son, Absalom, and noting God's mercy towards the exiled. David discerns Joab's hand in the matter and, acknowledging the wisdom, instructs Joab to retrieve Absalom from Geshur. Absalom returns to Jerusalem but is initially forbidden from seeing the king's face for two years. Impatient, Absalom compels Joab to intervene by having his servants set Joab's field on fire. This leads Joab to speak with David, resulting in Absalom being summoned, bowing before the king, and receiving a reconciling kiss.

Long Summary

Chapter 14 of 2 Samuel details Joab's cunning strategy to bring Absalom, who was banished for killing Amnon, back into King David's presence. Joab, perceiving David's underlying desire for his son's return, sends for a wise woman from Tekoah and instructs her to feign mourning and present a carefully crafted parable to the king. The woman, acting as a distressed widow, tells David that her two sons quarreled in the field, resulting in one killing the other, and now the family demands the life of her sole remaining son, threatening to extinguish her lineage. David, moved by her plight, promises to protect her son, even swearing by the LORD that no harm would come to him. The woman then skillfully shifts her discourse, revealing the true intent of her story by comparing David's reluctance to bring Absalom home to the injustice of her own fabricated case. She argues that just as God devises means for the banished to return, so should David allow his own banished son to come back, emphasizing the inevitability of death and the importance of preserving lineage. David, recognizing the artifice and discerning Joab's involvement, directly questions the woman about his general's role, which she readily confirms. Satisfied, David commands Joab to go to Geshur and bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. Upon Absalom's return, David stipulates that he must dwell in his own house and not see the king's face, maintaining a partial estrangement. The text then briefly describes Absalom's striking beauty and his family, including three sons and a daughter named Tamar. After two full years of living in Jerusalem without seeing his father, Absalom grows impatient and attempts to summon Joab to intercede with the king, but Joab refuses to come. In a desperate move, Absalom instructs his servants to set Joab's barley field on fire, forcing Joab to confront him. Absalom explains his frustration, stating his preference to have remained in Geshur if he was to live in Jerusalem without royal favor, and demands to see the king, offering to accept death if he is found guilty. Joab relays Absalom's message to David, who finally calls for his son. Absalom comes before the king, bows himself to the ground, and David, in a gesture of full reconciliation, kisses Absalom.

Core Concepts

  • Joab's CunningJoab, discerning King David's heart, orchestrates a complex plan using a wise woman to subtly advocate for Absalom's return, demonstrating his political acumen and influence.
  • The Wise Woman of TekoahA skilled orator employed by Joab, she uses a compelling parable of a widow and her two sons to elicit a favorable judgment from David, which she then applies to Absalom's situation.
  • Parable and ApplicationThe woman's narrative serves as a veiled plea for Absalom, illustrating how a seemingly unrelated story can be used to convey a deeper, personal message and influence royal decisions.
  • David's DiscernmentDespite the elaborate deception, King David ultimately perceives Joab's hand in the wise woman's speech, demonstrating his wisdom and understanding of his court.
  • Partial ReconciliationAbsalom's initial return to Jerusalem is marked by a continued separation from David's presence, highlighting the lingering tension and the king's conditional forgiveness.
  • Absalom's Impatience and ActionAfter two years of estrangement, Absalom's frustration leads him to drastic measures, such as burning Joab's field, to force a confrontation and secure full reconciliation with his father.
  • Royal Forgiveness and KissThe chapter concludes with King David finally summoning Absalom, who bows before him, and David's act of kissing his son, signifying a complete, albeit delayed, restoration of their relationship.