1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.
7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.
9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.
10 And the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.
14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.
16 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.
17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.
18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:
20 To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.
27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.
29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.
30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.
33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
Chapter 14 of the Book of 2 Samuel is a continuation of the story of King David, who has now been ruling over Israel for many years. The chapter begins with the story of Absalom, David's son, who had been exiled from the kingdom after he had killed his half-brother Amnon. Absalom is now living in Geshur with his grandfather, King Talmai. The chapter focuses on the events that lead to Absalom's return to Jerusalem and his eventual reconciliation with his father.
The main themes of this chapter include forgiveness, reconciliation, and the consequences of sin. It also highlights the importance of family relationships and how they can be impacted by our actions. The chapter also shows the power of a mother's love and how it can influence the decisions of a king.
The chapter begins with Joab, David's commander, noticing how much David longed for Absalom. Joab devises a plan to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, knowing that David would not refuse him. Joab sends a wise woman from Tekoa to speak to David, pretending to be a widow who has lost both of her sons. She tells David a parable about a man who had two sons, one who killed the other, and how the family is now seeking justice from the king.
David is moved by the woman's story and promises to restore her son's inheritance. The woman then reveals that the story is actually about Absalom and his exile. She pleads with David to bring Absalom back and reconcile with him, saying that God does not take away life but devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.
David is convinced by the woman's words and sends for Absalom, who returns to Jerusalem and is reunited with his father. The chapter ends with David and Absalom meeting for the first time in many years, and David kissing his son as a sign of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The story of the wise woman from Tekoa highlights the power of a mother's love. The woman risked her own safety by going to speak to the king, pretending to be a widow and using her son's story to appeal to David's emotions. She knew that David's heart longed for Absalom, and she used this to her advantage to bring her son back home.
This story also shows the influence that a mother can have on her children. Absalom's mother, Maacah, was the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. She was a foreigner, but her love for her son and her desire to see him reconciled with his father led her to play a crucial role in his return to Jerusalem. This shows that a mother's love knows no boundaries and can overcome any obstacles in its way.
The main theme of this chapter is forgiveness and reconciliation. David had been grieving for Absalom ever since he was exiled, and he longed to see him again. The wise woman from Tekoa reminded David of the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation, saying that God does not want anyone to remain estranged from him.
David's decision to forgive and reconcile with Absalom shows his growth as a leader and as a man of God. He could have held onto his anger and bitterness towards Absalom, but he chose to let it go and welcome his son back with open arms. This act of forgiveness and reconciliation also foreshadows the ultimate act of forgiveness and reconciliation that God offers to us through Jesus Christ.
The story of Absalom's exile and eventual return also highlights the consequences of sin. Absalom's actions of killing his half-brother Amnon had caused a rift in the family and led to his exile. This shows that sin not only affects the individual but also has a ripple effect on those around them.
However, the story also shows that there is always a chance for redemption and reconciliation. Despite Absalom's sins, David was willing to forgive and reconcile with his son, showing that no one is beyond God's grace and forgiveness.
This chapter teaches us several important lessons that are relevant for us today. Firstly, it reminds us of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. Just as David forgave Absalom and welcomed him back, we too should be willing to forgive those who have wronged us and strive for reconciliation.
The story also highlights the importance of family relationships and the impact our actions can have on them. We should be mindful of how our choices and decisions can affect our loved ones and strive to maintain healthy and loving relationships with them.
Furthermore, the story of Absalom's return also serves as a reminder that no one is beyond God's grace and forgiveness. We all make mistakes and sin, but through Jesus Christ, we can find forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
Chapter 14 of the Book of 2 Samuel is a powerful story of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the consequences of sin. It teaches us important lessons about the power of a mother's love, the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation, and the impact our actions can have on our relationships. It also reminds us of God's grace and forgiveness, which is available to all who seek it. This chapter serves as a beautiful example of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation and encourages us to strive for these virtues in our own lives.
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