2 Samuel 14:16

KJV

For 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.

KJV (with Strong's)

For the king {H4428} will hear {H8085}, to deliver {H5337} his handmaid {H519} out of the hand {H3709} of the man {H376} that would destroy {H8045} me and my son {H1121} together {H3162} out of the inheritance {H5159} of God {H430}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hands of those who would destroy me and my son together from our share of God's inheritance.'

Berean Standard Bible

For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
2 Samuel 14:16 captures the climactic plea of the wise woman of Tekoah to King David, orchestrated by Joab to facilitate Absalom's return. In this pivotal moment of her carefully constructed parable, the woman emphasizes the king's unique and urgent responsibility to intervene and protect her and her son from utter destruction. She frames this potential loss not merely as a personal tragedy but as a diminishment of "the inheritance of God," thereby elevating her appeal to a matter of divine concern and covenantal significance, subtly pressing David to consider the spiritual implications of his own son's prolonged exile.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within the meticulously crafted dramatic scene of [2 Samuel 14](/2_samuel/14 "2 Samuel 14 - Joab's Plan to Bring Absalom Home"). Following David's initial promise to protect the woman's "remaining son" (in her fabricated story) from the avenger of blood, verse 16 serves as her escalating, impassioned appeal, designed to solidify David's commitment and underscore the dire consequences of inaction. It immediately precedes her bold revelation that her entire narrative is a thinly veiled parable concerning David's own exiled son, Absalom, and his refusal to allow him to return to Jerusalem after Amnon's murder ([2 Samuel 13:37-39](/2_samuel/13-37 "2 Samuel 13:37-39 - Absalom's Flight and David's Longing")). The woman's strategic use of pathos and theological language in this verse aims to manipulate David's sense of justice and his role as a covenant king, preparing him for the direct application of the parable.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, the king served as the ultimate arbiter of justice and mercy, often seen as God's representative on earth. The preservation of a family line, particularly through male heirs, was paramount, as it ensured the continuity of a name, a lineage, and the retention of inherited land. Land was not merely property; it was considered part of "the inheritance of God" (נַחֲלָה - _nachalah_), allotted by divine decree to each tribe and family as a perpetual possession in the Promised Land. To lose a male heir meant the potential extinction of a family's name and its portion in this sacred inheritance. The woman's self-identification as a "handmaid" (אֲמָה - _'amah_) is a culturally appropriate expression of humility and vulnerability when addressing a king, reinforcing her desperate need for his protection and grace.
* **Key Themes:** The narrative of 2 Samuel 14, culminating in the woman's appeal in this verse, explores several profound themes. The central tension is between **Justice and Mercy**, as David grapples with the demands of justice for Amnon's murder versus the compassionate desire to restore his exiled son, Absalom. The woman's plea for the **Preservation of Inheritance and Lineage** highlights the deep cultural and theological significance of family continuity, especially in relation to God's covenant promises concerning the land and the people of Israel. Furthermore, the passage underscores **The King's Divine Role** as a protector of the vulnerable and an upholder of God's order, emphasizing his unique authority to grant life and preserve what is valuable. The entire episode also showcases the power of **Wisdom and Cunning** in navigating complex political and familial dilemmas, as demonstrated by Joab's orchestration and the woman's masterful rhetoric.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Handmaid (Hebrew, _'amah'_):** This term denotes a female servant or slave, but in this context, it is used by the woman to express profound humility and dependence before King David. By presenting herself as a "handmaid," she emphasizes her vulnerability and her complete reliance on the king's sovereign power and compassionate intervention. It is a rhetorical device designed to elicit sympathy and underscore the magnitude of the king's authority to deliver.
* **Destroy (Hebrew, _shamad'_):** The verb _shamad_ signifies complete annihilation, extermination, or utter ruin. Its use here conveys a sense of absolute obliteration, not merely death but the extinguishing of a family line, a name, and a future. The woman employs this strong term to impress upon David the irreversible nature of the loss she (and by extension, Absalom's family line) faces without his immediate and decisive action.
* **Inheritance of God (Hebrew, _nachalat Elohim'_):** This powerful phrase combines _nachalah_ (inheritance, allotted portion, possession) with _Elohim_ (God). In ancient Israel, _nachalah_ primarily referred to the land of Israel, which was considered God's own possession, distributed to His people by divine decree. By linking the potential destruction of her son to the "inheritance of God," the woman elevates her personal plea to a theological plane. She implies that the loss of a family line, particularly a male heir, diminishes God's own heritage among His people, as the land and its occupants are ultimately His. This subtly appeals to David's covenantal responsibility as king to preserve God's people and His portion in the land.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid":** The woman expresses her profound trust and conviction in David's capacity to act as a just and merciful ruler. She appeals directly to his judicial authority and his compassionate nature, believing that once he comprehends the gravity of her situation, he will undoubtedly intervene. This phrase sets up David as the ultimate arbiter and deliverer.
* **"out of the hand of the man [that would] destroy me and my son together":** This clause highlights the immediate and existential threat facing her and her lineage. The "man" refers to the "avenger of blood" or the community's demand for justice that would lead to the execution of her remaining son. The phrase "destroy me and my son together" underscores the complete and shared annihilation of her family line, emphasizing the totality of the impending loss and the urgency of the king's intervention.
* **"out of the inheritance of God":** This is the theological climax of her plea. It frames the potential loss not merely as a personal tragedy but as a diminishment of God's own people and His allotted portion in the land. By invoking "the inheritance of God," the woman appeals to David's covenantal duty to preserve the continuity of Israel, which is God's treasured possession. It implies that to allow a family line to be cut off is to diminish God's own heritage among His people.

#### Literary Devices
The wise woman's speech in 2 Samuel 14:16 is rich in **Pathos**, designed to evoke a strong emotional response from King David by emphasizing her vulnerability, the dire threat to her family, and the profound, irreversible loss of her son and lineage. Her use of **Hyperbole** in describing the complete destruction of "me and my son together" intensifies the urgency and the perceived totality of the impending tragedy. The entire narrative she presents is a masterful example of **Allegory** or **Parable**, where her fictional scenario serves as a thinly veiled parallel to David's own dilemma regarding Absalom. This allows her to address a sensitive issue indirectly, giving David the opportunity to pronounce judgment on a seemingly external matter before realizing its personal application. Furthermore, her appeal to David's role as a deliverer and her invocation of "the inheritance of God" constitute a powerful **Rhetorical Appeal to Authority** and **Divine Mandate**, strategically positioning David as the divinely appointed protector responsible for preserving God's people and His heritage.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The wise woman's appeal in 2 Samuel 14:16 resonates deeply with core biblical themes of divine justice and mercy, the sanctity of life, and the preservation of God's people. Her framing of the potential loss as a diminishment of "the inheritance of God" underscores the biblical understanding that human life, especially within the covenant community, is precious and belongs to God. It highlights God's concern for the continuity of His people and His promises, even when human sin threatens to sever those lines. The king's role as a deliverer, capable of extending grace and preventing utter destruction, mirrors God's own character as one who desires life over death and offers redemption. This narrative thus becomes a profound illustration of the tension between strict legal retribution and the compassionate application of grace, a tension that God Himself often navigates in His dealings with humanity.

* [Deuteronomy 32:9](/deuteronomy/32-9 "Deuteronomy 32:9 - Israel as God's Inheritance")
* [Psalm 127:3](/psalm/127-3 "Psalm 127:3 - Children as a Heritage from the Lord")
* [Ezekiel 33:11](/ezekiel/33-11 "Ezekiel 33:11 - God's Desire for Life, Not Death")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of the wise woman of Tekoah and her appeal to King David in 2 Samuel 14:16 offers profound insights for contemporary reflection. It challenges us to consider the delicate balance between justice and mercy in our own lives, relationships, and societal structures. Like David, leaders in all spheres—familial, communal, and spiritual—are often faced with complex decisions that require discerning wisdom and a compassionate heart. This passage reminds us of the profound value of every human life, not merely as an individual existence but as part of a larger tapestry woven by God, contributing to His "inheritance" in the world. It encourages us to seek and heed wise counsel, even when it comes in unexpected forms or challenges our preconceived notions. Ultimately, it points to the power of a desperate appeal to a higher authority for deliverance from seemingly insurmountable problems, urging us to turn to God, our ultimate King and Deliverer, with our deepest needs and fears, trusting in His capacity to preserve and restore.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do we, in our own lives and communities, navigate the tension between strict justice and compassionate mercy?**
* **When faced with complex decisions that impact others, what sources of "wise counsel" do we seek, and how open are we to unconventional perspectives?**
* **In what ways do we recognize and value the "inheritance of God" in our contemporary context, whether in terms of human life, creation, or spiritual heritage?**
* **How does this narrative encourage us to appeal to God, our ultimate King, for deliverance and preservation in times of threat or loss?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "the inheritance of God" in this verse?**

Answer: The phrase "the inheritance of God" (נַחֲלַת אֱלֹהִים - _nachalat Elohim_) is profoundly significant. In ancient Israel, the term _nachalah_ referred primarily to the land of Israel, which God had promised to Abraham and his descendants and then allotted to the tribes and families. This land was not merely property but a sacred trust, a perpetual possession given by God. When coupled with _Elohim_ (God), it signifies something belonging to God Himself, a portion of His own. By saying her son would be destroyed "out of the inheritance of God," the wise woman elevates her personal plea to a theological level. She implies that the loss of a male heir, which would cut off her family's line and its claim to its portion of the land, would diminish God's own heritage among His people. It appeals to David's covenantal responsibility to preserve the people of Israel, whom God considered His own special possession ([Deuteronomy 4:20](/deuteronomy/4-20 "Deuteronomy 4:20 - Israel as God's Inheritance")).

**How does the wise woman's strategy relate to Joab's plan?**

Answer: The wise woman's strategy is the masterful execution of Joab's cunning plan to bring Absalom back from exile. Joab recognized David's longing for Absalom but also his inability to act directly due to Absalom's murder of Amnon. Joab, therefore, devised a scheme to create a scenario that would allow David to pronounce a judgment of mercy in a detached context, which could then be applied to Absalom's situation. The woman's role was to present a fabricated, yet relatable, legal dilemma that mirrored David's own. Her appeal in [2 Samuel 14:16](/2_samuel/14-16 "2 Samuel 14:16 - The Woman's Plea for Deliverance") is the climax of this rhetorical strategy, designed to solidify David's commitment to protecting the "remaining son" and to evoke his compassion. By appealing to David's sense of justice, his role as a deliverer, and the theological concept of "the inheritance of God," she subtly prepared him to extend mercy, which she would then reveal was truly for his own son.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The king's role as a deliverer in 2 Samuel 14:16, capable of preserving life and restoring what is lost from "the inheritance of God," powerfully foreshadows the ultimate King-Deliverer, Jesus Christ. While David's mercy was limited and his restoration of Absalom brought further complications, Christ's deliverance is perfect and eternal. Humanity, estranged from God through sin, was facing utter destruction, cut off from the true "inheritance of God"—eternal life and fellowship with Him. Just as the woman appealed to David's authority, we are invited to approach the throne of grace of our Heavenly King, Jesus, who "will hear" and "deliver" us ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace")). Through His sacrificial death, Christ, the true Lamb of God, satisfied the demands of divine justice while simultaneously extending infinite mercy, demonstrating God's love for us "while we were still sinners" ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God's Love While We Were Sinners")). He delivers us "out of the hand of" spiritual destruction, translating us from the domain of darkness into His kingdom of light, granting us an imperishable "inheritance" that is kept in heaven for us ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13-14 - Delivered from Darkness to Light"); [Ephesians 1:11](/ephesians/1-11 "Ephesians 1:11 - Our Inheritance in Christ")). Thus, the plea for preservation from being cut off from God's earthly inheritance finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Christ, who secures our eternal spiritual inheritance and ensures our place in the family of God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Samuel 26:19

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if [they be] the children of men, cursed [be] they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.