5 And the king H4428 said H559 unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, H559 I am indeed H61 a widow H490 woman, H802 and mine husband H376 is dead. H4191
6 And thy handmaid H8198 had two H8147 sons, H1121 and they two H8147 strove together H5327 in the field, H7704 and there was none to part H5337 them, but the one H259 smote H5221 the other, H259 and slew H4191 him.
7 And, behold, the whole family H4940 is risen H6965 against thine handmaid, H8198 and they said, H559 Deliver H5414 him that smote H5221 his brother, H251 that we may kill H4191 him, for the life H5315 of his brother H251 whom he slew; H2026 and we will destroy H8045 the heir H3423 also: and so they shall quench H3518 my coal H1513 which is left, H7760 and shall not leave H7604 to my husband H376 neither name H8034 nor remainder H7611 upon H6440 the earth. H127
8 And the king H4428 said H559 unto the woman, H802 Go H3212 to thine house, H1004 and I will give charge H6680 concerning thee.
9 And the woman H802 of Tekoah H8621 said H559 unto the king, H4428 My lord, H113 O king, H4428 the iniquity H5771 be on me, and on my father's H1 house: H1004 and the king H4428 and his throne H3678 be guiltless. H5355
10 And the king H4428 said, H559 Whosoever saith H1696 ought unto thee, bring H935 him to me, and he shall not touch H5060 thee any more. H3254
11 Then said H559 she, I pray thee, let the king H4428 remember H2142 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers H1350 of blood H1818 to destroy H7843 any more, H7235 lest they destroy H8045 my son. H1121 And he said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 there shall not one hair H8185 of thy son H1121 fall H5307 to the earth. H776
12 Then the woman H802 said, H559 Let thine handmaid, H8198 I pray thee, speak H1696 one word H1697 unto my lord H113 the king. H4428 And he said, H559 Say on. H1696
13 And the woman H802 said, H559 Wherefore then hast thou thought H2803 such a thing against the people H5971 of God? H430 for the king H4428 doth speak H1696 this thing H1697 as one which is faulty, H818 in that the king H4428 doth not fetch home again H7725 his banished. H5080
14 For we must needs H4191 die, H4191 and are as water H4325 spilt H5064 on the ground, H776 which cannot be gathered up again; H622 neither doth God H430 respect H5375 any person: H5315 yet doth he devise H2803 means, H4284 that his banished H5080 be not expelled H5080 from him.
15 Now therefore that I am come H935 to speak H1696 of this thing H1697 unto my lord H113 the king, H4428 it is because the people H5971 have made me afraid: H3372 and thy handmaid H8198 said, H559 I will now speak H1696 unto the king; H4428 it may be that the king H4428 will perform H6213 the request H1697 of his handmaid. H519
16 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
17 Then thine handmaid H8198 said, H559 The word H1697 of my lord H113 the king H4428 shall now be comfortable: H4496 for as an angel H4397 of God, H430 so is my lord H113 the king H4428 to discern H8085 good H2896 and bad: H7451 therefore the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will be with thee.
18 Then the king H4428 answered H6030 and said H559 unto the woman, H802 Hide H3582 not from me, I pray thee, the thing H1697 that I shall ask H7592 thee. And the woman H802 said, H559 Let my lord H113 the king H4428 now speak. H1696
19 And the king H4428 said, H559 Is not the hand H3027 of Joab H3097 with thee in all this? And the woman H802 answered H6030 and said, H559 As thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 my lord H113 the king, H4428 none H376 can H786 turn to the right hand H3231 or to the left H8041 from ought that my lord H113 the king H4428 hath spoken: H1696 for thy servant H5650 Joab, H3097 he bade H6680 me, and he put H7760 all these words H1697 in the mouth H6310 of thine handmaid: H8198
20 To H5668 fetch about H5437 this form H6440 of speech H1697 hath thy servant H5650 Joab H3097 done H6213 this thing: H1697 and my lord H113 is wise, H2450 according to the wisdom H2451 of an angel H4397 of God, H430 to know H3045 all things that are in the earth. H776
21 And the king H4428 said H559 unto Joab, H3097 Behold now, I have done H6213 this thing: H1697 go H3212 therefore, bring H7725 the young man H5288 Absalom H53 again. H7725
22 And Joab H3097 fell H5307 to the ground H776 on his face, H6440 and bowed H7812 himself, and thanked H1288 the king: H4428 and Joab H3097 said, H559 To day H3117 thy servant H5650 knoweth H3045 that I have found H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight, H5869 my lord, H113 O king, H4428 in that the king H4428 hath fulfilled H6213 the request H1697 of his servant. H5650
23 So Joab H3097 arose H6965 and went H3212 to Geshur, H1650 and brought H935 Absalom H53 to Jerusalem. H3389
24 And the king H4428 said, H559 Let him turn H5437 to his own house, H1004 and let him not see H7200 my face. H6440 So Absalom H53 returned H5437 to his own house, H1004 and saw H7200 not the king's H4428 face. H6440
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 14
Commentary on 2 Samuel 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
How Absalom threw himself out of his royal father's protection and favour we read in the foregoing chapter, which left him an exile, outlawed, and proscribed; in this chapter we have the arts that were used to bring him and his father together again, and how, at last, it was done, which is here recorded to show the folly of David in sparing him and indulging him in his wickedness, for which he was soon after severely corrected by his unnatural rebellion.
2Sa 14:1-20
Here is,
2Sa 14:21-27
Observe here,
2Sa 14:28-33
Three years Absalom had been an exile from his father-in-law, and now two years a prisoner at large in his own house, and, in both, better dealt with than he deserved; yet his spirit was still unhumbled, his pride unmortified, and, instead of being thankful that his life is spared, he thinks himself sorely wronged that he is not restored to all his places at court. Had he truly repented of his sin, his distance from the gaieties of the court, and his solitude and retirement in his own house, especially being in Jerusalem the holy city, would have been very agreeable to him. If a murderer must live, yet let him be for ever a recluse. But Absalom could not bear this just and gentle mortification. He longed to see the king's face, pretending it was because he loved him, but really because he wanted an opportunity to supplant him. He cannot do his father a mischief till he is reconciled to him; this therefore is the first branch of his plot; this snake cannot sting again till he be warmed in his father's bosom. He gained this point, not by pretended submissions and promises of reformation, but (would you think it?) by insults and injuries.