2 Samuel 14:24

24 And 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.

2 Samuel 14:24 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 14:24

And the king said
Very probably to Joab, when he informed him of Absalom's being come to Jerusalem:

let him turn to his own house;
depart from the king's palace, where Joab had brought him, and go to his own house, which was in Jerusalem; for here he had one before he fled to Geshur; see ( 2 Samuel 13:20 ) ;

and let him not see my face;
which he ordered, partly to show his detestation of the crime he had been guilty of, and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it; and partly for his credit among some of the people at least, who might think it was a crime so great as not to go unpunished, though others were of a different mind; and also for the greater humiliation of Absalom, who, the king might think, had not been sufficiently humbled for his sin, or had not truly repented of it:

so Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face;
in obedience to his father's orders.

2 Samuel 14:24 In-Context

22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king; and Joab said, "Today 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."

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

24 And 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.

25 But 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.

26 And when he cut his hair (for it was at every year's end that he cut it, because the hair was heavy on him; therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king's weight.