2 Samuel 14:31

31 Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, "Why did your servants set fire to my field?"

2 Samuel 14:31 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 14:31

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto [his] house
Provoked at what he had done, and to know the reason of it; and which was answering Absalom's end:

and said unto him, wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
which was not only injurious to his property, but a malicious action.

2 Samuel 14:31 In-Context

29 Then he sent for Joab, to ask him to go to the king for him; but Joab would not come. Again Absalom sent for him, and again Joab refused to come.
30 So Absalom said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and it has barley growing in it. Go and set fire to it." So they went and set the field on fire.
31 Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, "Why did your servants set fire to my field?"
32 Absalom answered, "Because you wouldn't come when I sent for you. I wanted you to go to the king and ask for me: "Why did I leave Geshur and come here? It would have been better for me to have stayed there.' " And Absalom went on, "I want you to arrange for me to see the king, and if I'm guilty, then let him put me to death."
33 So Joab went to King David and told him what Absalom had said. The king sent for Absalom, who went to him and bowed down to the ground in front of him. The king welcomed him with a kiss.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.