2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 14

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission 2 Samuel Chart from Charles Swindoll TIMELINE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS & CHRONICLES 1107 1011 971 931 853 722 586 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 1 Kings 2 Kings 31 1-4 5-10 11-20 21-24 1-11 12-22 1-17 18-25 1Chr 10 1 Chr 11-19 1 Chr 20-29 2 Chronicles 1-9 2 Chronicles 10-20 2 Chronicles 21-36 Legend: B.C. dates at top of timeline are approximate. Note that 931BC marks the division of the Kingdom into Southern Tribes (Judah and Benjamin) and Ten Northern Tribes. To avoid confusion be aware that after the division of the Kingdom in 931BC, the Southern Kingdom is most often designated in Scripture as "Judah" and the Northern Kingdom as "Israel." Finally, note that 1 Chronicles 1-9 is not identified on the timeline because these chapters are records of genealogy. Map of David's Kingdom-ESV Global Map of Cities in 2 Samuel Source: Life Application Study Bible (borrow) 2 Samuel 14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was inclined toward Absalom. Joab: 2Sa 2:18 1Ch 2:16 toward Absalom: 2Sa 13:39 18:33 19:2,4 Pr 29:26 Related Passage: Proverbs 23:13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. JOAB'S PERCEPTION OF DAVID'S MISSING ABSALOM Wiersbe gives the context for Joab's unusual actions in this chapter - As head of the army, Joab was concerned that Israel have a crown prince ready to reign just in case something happened to David, who was now close to sixty. But Absalom couldn't come home unless David gave permission, and the king wouldn't give permission until he was convinced it was the right thing to do. It was the king's duty to uphold the law, and Absalom was guilty of plotting the murder of his half brother Amnon. (Borrow Be Restored) Brian Bell has an interesting outline for this chapter - Baiting The Trap; Setting The Trap; Springing The Trap. Don Anderson - David watched his family fall apart and seemed to be totally incapable of doing anything about it. He was reaping what he had sown. There is one more thing about Absalom that we need to take into consideration at this point: In murdering Amnon, Absalom had also laid what he thought was the foundation for succeeding his father to the throne, although Abigail’s son Kileab, or Daniel as he is mentioned in the Chronicles records, never became a viable force to be reckoned with. Absalom cleared the way by the death of Amnon for the throne, since he would be the oldest son and primary heir to take David’s place. Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart (leb; Lxx - kardia) was inclined toward Absalom - The old saying is absence makes the heart grow fonder and it has now been 3 years (in Geshur 2Sa 13:38+) since David had seen Absalom. The preceding chapter ended with these words "The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead." (2Sa 13:39+). MacArthur suggests "the fear of public opinion made him hesitant to pardon his son. Joab, perceiving this struggle between parental affection and royal duty, devised a plan involving a wise country woman and a story told to the king. (The MacArthur Study Bible) Writers like Keil & Delitzsch are of the view that this verse has a negative sense rather than a positive sense translating it "And Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that he king's heart was against Absalom". Virtually all of the modern translations however see the verse in a positive sense indicating that David longed to see Absalom, not that he was against him. The description in 2Sa 14:24 does however lend some support to the negative rendering. 2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; Tekoa: 2Ch 11:6 20:20 Ne 3:5,27 Jer 6:1 Am 1:1, mourning: 2Sa 11:26 Ru 3:3 Ps 104:15 Ec 9:8 Mt 6:17 JOAB RECRUITS WOMAN FROM TEKOA So - For this reason. Therefore. Because David's heart longed to see Absalom Joab sent to Tekoa Joab sends someone from his staff 10 miles south of Jerusalem to the city of Tekoa was a city of Judah, hometown of Amos (Amos 1:1) and on the borders of the great wilderness southeast of Jerusalem. Tekoa was about five miles to the south of Bethlehem, Joab's birthplace, so he may have heard about this wise woman. And brought a wise (chakam; Lxx - sophos) woman from there - Joab recruits a wise woman, using the same word (chakam; Lxx - sophos) that described Jonadab in 2Sa 13:3+, but in the present context conveys a positive sense (not a negative shrewd sense as with Jonadab). This would be Joab's ruse for softening David's heart toward Absalom so that he would seek to bring him from Geshur (see map below). and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days - Joab orchestrates the action of this fictitious parable. He would need a wise woman who was a skilled actress in expressing her tragic tale with believable emotion. David would quickly see through bad acting. Only good acting would be effective in moving his heart toward Absalom. Joab was going to do what Nathan the prophet had done in 2Sa 12:1-7, using a fabricated account of a widow's family tragedy. Related Resource: SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES. Other Passages Describing Women God has Used: 2 Samuel 20: 14-22 Judges 4:9,17-21 Judges 5 :6-7 2 Samuel 14:3 then go to the king and speak to him in this manner." So Joab put the words in her mouth. put the words: 2Sa 14:19 Ex 4:15 Nu 23:5 De 18:18 Isa 51:16 59:21 Jer 1:9 JOAB GIVES SCRIPT FOR FICTITIOUS PARABLE Then - Expression of time, then marks progression in the narrative. go to the king and speak to him in this manner." - The king was the ultimate judge in Israel (cf. 2Sa 14:5,17,21). So Joab put the words in her mouth - Joab told her exactly what to say in his attempt to get to David's heart to turn toward Absalom (cf 1Sa 14:19) and desire to bring him back to Jerusalem. He will use a sad story of a wise widow actress who is in danger of losing her only surviving son to an avenger of blood. Joab is setting up a situation similar to what David experienced with Nathan the prophet when he was confronted with the parable that Nathan told which in the end condemned David 2 Samuel 14:4 Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, "Help, O king." fell on her: 2Sa 1:2 1Sa 20:41 25:23 Help: Heb. Save, 2Ki 6:26-28 Job 29:12-14 Lu 18:3-5 Related Passages: 2 Kings 6:26-28 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 He said, “If the LORD does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” 28 And the king said to her, “What is the matter with you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ Wise Woman of Tekoa WOMAN BOWS & SEEKS DAVID'S HELP Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell (bowed down) on her face to the ground and prostrated herself (in deference to him) and said, "Help (yasha'; sozo), O king." - In ancient Israel cases could be appealed to the king who was Jehovah's judicial representative. She humbles herself in David's presence. Help (save, deliver, help) (03467) yasha' (See also yeshua from which we get our word "Jesus") is an important Hebrew verb which means to help, to save, to deliver. The root in Arabic is "make wide" which underscores the main thought of yasha' as to bring to a place of safety or broad pasture in contrast to a narrow strait which symbolizes distress or danger. 2 Samuel 14:5 The king said to her, "What is your trouble?" And she answered, "Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead. I am: 2Sa 12:1-3 Jdg 9:8-15 DAVID HEARS THE WOMAN'S STORY The king said to her, "What is your trouble?" - Clearly David makes himself accessible to the needy in Israel. And she answered, "Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead - She doubles down with her description of as a widow, which by definition usually signifies the husband is dead, which she reiterates. TSK Note - It is very possible that the principal incidents mentioned here were real; and that Joab found out a person whose circumstances bore a near resemblance to that which he wished to represent. She did not make the similitude too plain and visible, lest the king should see her intention before she had obtained a grant of pardon; and thus her circumstances, her mournful tale, her widow's dress, her aged person, (for Josephus says she was advanced in years,) and her impressive manner, all combined to make one united irresistible impression on the heart of the aged monarch. 2 Samuel 14:6 "Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him. two: Ge 4:8 Ex 2:13 De 22:26,27 SONS STRUGGLED AND ONE KILLED OTHER Your maidservant had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him - This was murder but not premeditated (presumably), like Cain's murder of Abel. 2 Samuel 14:7 "Now behold, the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.' Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth." the whole: Ge 4:14 Nu 35:19 De 19:12 they: Ge 27:45 De 25:6 they will extinguish: 2Sa 12:17 Related Passages: Numbers 35:19 ‘The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. Deuteronomy 19:12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from fthere and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Exodus 21:12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 24:17 ‘If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death. FAMILY SEEKS TO SLAY SON EXTINGUISHING HER COAL Now behold, the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.' - The family is seeking to avenge the blood of the lost son. Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth - People in Israel would start their home fires in the morning, usually using a coal or ember from the previous night's fire. Her point is that if her last remaining son is killed, she would have no hope, no remnant, no way to pass on her family's name. And in ancient Israel the extinction of one's family line because there was no heir was regarded as a terrible tragedy.