Joab, discerning King David's desire for Absalom's return, orchestrates a plan using a wise woman from Tekoah. The woman presents a fabricated parable to David, subtly advocating for the return of his banished son. David, understanding the ruse, commands Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, though initially forbidding him from seeing his face. After two years, Absalom forces a meeting with Joab, leading to his full reconciliation and a kiss from the king.
so Yo'av sent to T'koa, brought from there a clever woman and said to her, "Please, pretend you're a mourner. Put on mourning clothes, and don't anoint yourself with oil, but appear to be a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.
my two sons were out in the field; and they got into a fight with each other. There was no one to separate them, and one hit the other and killed him.
Now the whole family has come against me, your servant; they're saying, 'Hand over the one who hit his brother, so that we can put him to death for killing his brother.'They want to destroy the heir as well and thus quench my one remaining coal; then my husband will have neither name nor survivor anywhere on earth."
"Please," she said, "let the king swear by ADONAI your God that the blood avengers won't do any more destroying, so they won't destroy my son." He said, "As ADONAI lives, not one of your son's hairs will fall to the ground."
The woman said, "Why is it, then, that you have produced a situation exactly like this against God's people? By saying what you have said, the king has virtually incriminated himself - in that the king does not bring home again the son he banished.
For we will all die someday; we'll be like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered up again; and God makes no exception for anyone. The king should think of some way to keep the son he banished from being forever an outcast.
Now the reason I came to speak about this matter to my lord the king is that the people were intimidating me; so your servant said, 'I will speak now to the king; maybe the king will do what his servant is asking.
Then your servant said, 'Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad - and may ADONAI your God be with you.'"
The king then answered the woman: "I'm going to ask you a question, and please don't hide anything from me."The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."
The king asked, "Did Yo'av put you up to this?"The woman answered, "As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo'av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say.
Your servant Yo'av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land."
Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."
However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence."So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.
Now in all Isra'el there was no one more praised for his beauty than Avshalom -there was no defect on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds].
Then Avshalom summoned Yo'av, planning to send him to the king; but he refused to come to him. He summoned him a second time, but he still wouldn't come.
So he said to his servants, "See, Yo'av's field is close to mine, and he has barley there; go, and set it on fire." Avshalom's servants set the field on fire.
Avshalom answered Yo'av, "Look, I sent a message to you to come here, so that I could send you to the king to ask, 'Why did I come from G'shur? It would have been better for me if I had stayed there. So now, let me appear before the king; and if I'm guilty of anything, he can kill me.'"
Yo'av went to the king and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he went to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Avshalom.
Study Notes for 2 Samuel 14
Verse 1
Joab, David’s shrewd military commander, recognized that the king’s heart longed for Absalom’s return, despite the necessity of his exile following the murder of Amnon (13:38). Joab acts without consulting David, using manipulation rather than direct petition.
Verse 2
Tekoah, a town in Judah, was known for producing wise people (cf. Amos 1:1). Joab’s choice of a 'wise woman' indicates his need for a skilled rhetorical agent capable of delivering a compelling, carefully structured plea to the king.
Verse 6
The woman’s fictional case mirrors the Amnon/Absalom situation: a death resulting from conflict, leading to a demand for retribution against the surviving son.
Verse 7
The phrase 'quench my coal which is left' is a powerful metaphor appealing to David’s sense of duty regarding dynastic preservation. Killing the surviving son would extinguish the family name and inheritance, a tragedy David would naturally seek to prevent.
Verse 11
David binds himself with a solemn oath, 'As the LORD liveth,' thus publicly committing to the principle of mercy and protection for the one who slew his brother, provided the killing was not premeditated.
Verse 13
The woman pivots, using David's own ruling against him. By granting protection to her fictional son, David is implicitly condemned for refusing the same mercy to his actual banished son, Absalom.
Verse 14
This verse contains the theological climax of the speech. While human life is fragile ('water spilt on the ground'), God actively 'devises means' (likely referring to the creation of cities of refuge or the possibility of repentance) so that the banished are not permanently expelled from Him.
Verse 17
Calling the king 'as an angel of God' attributes divine wisdom and discernment to David. This flattery pressures the king to act wisely—meaning mercifully—in the matter of Absalom.
Verse 19
David’s political astuteness is evident; he immediately recognized that the complex rhetorical strategy and perfect timing pointed to Joab’s calculated design.
Verse 21
Having been cornered by the rhetorical trap, David yields. He grants the request but avoids interaction with Joab concerning the justice of the matter, simply giving the command to bring Absalom home.
Verse 24
This restriction highlights David's internal conflict. He satisfied his emotional desire to have Absalom near but maintained a political distance, keeping Absalom exiled within Jerusalem to signal his continued displeasure.
Verse 25
The detailed description of Absalom’s striking physical perfection foreshadows his later ability to charm the people and gain popular support, leading to his rebellion (15:6).
Verse 26
The weight of his hair (200 shekels, approximately 5 pounds, though likely a hyperbolic figure) emphasizes his vanity and unique appearance, which ultimately plays a role in his death (18:9).
Verse 27
Absalom names his daughter Tamar, perhaps in memory of his sister who was raped by Amnon, subtly reminding the court of the unresolved injustice that led to his banishment.
Verse 28
The two full years of isolation increased Absalom’s resentment. David’s partial forgiveness was perceived as continued punishment, which eventually fueled his desperate attempts to force the king’s hand.
Verse 30
Absalom’s tactic of arson is a calculated, public act of provocation designed to force Joab to act. This demonstrates Absalom’s boldness and willingness to use extreme measures to achieve his goals.
Verse 32
Absalom frames his desperate act as a plea for justice, demanding either full restoration or execution. He views the intermediate state of house arrest as worse than death.
Verse 33
The king finally grants full reconciliation by kissing Absalom. Although the relationship is formally repaired, the underlying distrust and resentment fostered by the years of separation will soon lead to tragic consequences.
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The Calling of Disciples
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