2 Samuel 14:4

4 And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, "Help, O king!"

2 Samuel 14:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 14:4

And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king
Or after she had spoken to him, being introduced by Joab, as is probable; when she had saluted him with God save the king, or May the king live, or some such like expressions:

she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance;
to him as her king, in reverence of his majesty:

and said, help, O king;
signifying that she was in great distress, and came to him for assistance and deliverance.

2 Samuel 14:4 In-Context

2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.

3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner." So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, "Help, O king!"

5 Then the king said to her, "What troubles you?" And she answered, "Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead.

6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

Footnotes

• [a] Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read came.