2 Samuel 14:4-14

4 itaque cum ingressa fuisset mulier thecuites ad regem cecidit coram eo super terram et adoravit et dixit serva me rex

5 et ait ad eam rex quid causae habes quae respondit heu mulier vidua ego sum mortuus est enim vir meus

6 et ancillae tuae erant duo filii qui rixati sunt adversum se in agro nullusque erat qui eos prohibere posset et percussit alter alterum et interfecit eum

7 et ecce consurgens universa cognatio adversum ancillam tuam dicit trade eum qui percussit fratrem suum ut occidamus eum pro anima fratris sui quem interfecit et deleamus heredem et quaerunt extinguere scintillam meam quae relicta est ut non supersit viro meo nomen et reliquiae super terram

8 et ait rex ad mulierem vade in domum tuam et ego iubebo pro te

9 dixitque mulier thecuites ad regem in me domine mi rex iniquitas et in domum patris mei rex autem et thronus eius sit innocens

10 et ait rex qui contradixerit tibi adduc eum ad me et ultra non addet ut tangat te

11 quae ait recordetur rex Domini Dei sui ut non multiplicentur proximi sanguinis ad ulciscendum et nequaquam interficient filium meum qui ait vivit Dominus quia non cadet de capillis filii tui super terram

12 dixit ergo mulier loquatur ancilla tua ad dominum meum regem verbum et ait loquere

13 dixitque mulier quare cogitasti istiusmodi rem contra populum Dei et locutus est rex verbum istud ut peccet et non reducat eiectum suum

14 omnes morimur et quasi aquae delabimur in terram quae non revertuntur nec vult perire Deus animam sed retractat cogitans ne penitus pereat qui abiectus est

2 Samuel 14:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 14

This chapter relates that Joab, perceiving David's inclination to bring back Absalom, employed a wise woman of Tekoah to lay before him a feigned case of hers, drawn up by Joab, whereby this point was gained from the king, that murder might be dispensed with in her case, 2Sa 14:1-20; which being applied to the case of Absalom, and the king finding out that the hand of Joab was in this, sent for him, and ordered him to bring Absalom again, though as yet he would not see his face, 2Sa 14:21-24; and after some notice being taken of the beauty of Absalom's person, particularly of his head of hair, and of the number of his children, 2Sa 14:25-27; it is related, that after two full years Absalom was uneasy that he might not see the king's face, and sent for Joab, who refused to come to him, till he found means to oblige him to it, who, with the king's leave, introduced him to him, 2Sa 14:28-33.