2 Samuel 14
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Samuel 14
NJB (MT versing) The Woman of Tekoa Absalom Returns to Jerusalem Joab Brings About the Return of Absalom Joab Arranges for Absalom to Return Joab Negotiates Absalom's Return (13:38-14:24) 13:38-14:3 14:1-3 14:1-3 14:1-3 14:1-3 14:4-7 14:4-7 14:4-7 14:4 14:4-5a 14:5-7 14:5b-11 14:8-11 14:8-11 14:8-11 14:8 14:9 14:10 14:11 14:12-17 14:12-17 14:12-17 14:12 14:12-14 14:13-17 14:15-17 14:18-20 14:18-24 14:18-20 14:18 14:18-20 Absalom Is Recalled 14:19-20 14:21-24 14:21-24 14:21 14:21-24 14:22-24 David Forgives Absalom Absalom Is Reconciled Some Details About Absalom 14:25-27 14:25-27 14:25-27 14:25-27 14:25-27 Absalom Obtains His Pardon 14:28-33 14:28-33 14:28-33 14:28-30 14:28-33 14:31 14:32 14:33 Etc.
2 Samuel 14:1-3
14:1 Obviously chapter 14 should not be separated from the flow of 2 Samuel (esp. 13:39). Remember, capitalization, punctuation, verse divisions, chapter divisions are all recent suggestions but are not inspired. ▣ NASB, NJB "inclined" "concerned" NRSV, JPSOA, LXX "was on" "missed. . .very much" "longed for" "reconciled" As you can see from these translation options, there are different ways to view this PREPOSITION (BDB 752-759). From the context it is uncertain. 2 Sam. 13:39 supports a positive sense 2 Sam. 14:24 supports a negative sense possibly David was simply thinking a lot about Absalom because he was the heir apparent to the throne 14:2-20 This involves a royal judgment, like Nathan's, based on a parable type fictitious story which described David and Absalom's relationship. 14:2 "a wise woman" This same ADJECTIVE (BDB 314) was used of Jonadab in 2 Sam. 13:3 and another woman in 2 Sam. 20:16. The fact that the same word is used to describe the false wisdom of Sisera's mother in Jdgs. 5:28-29 shows the latitude of the term. Though women had a second class position in the ANE, their wisdom was honored. SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE ▣ "Tekoa" This city is about ten miles south of Jerusalem. It was the hometown of Amos. ▣ "a mourner" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES. 14:3 The king was the ultimate judge in Israel (cf. 2 Sam. 14:5,17,21). This tradition probably went back to Moses as judge. ▣ "So Joab put the words in her mouth" Joab is the originator of this fictitious parable (cf. v. 19) to convince David to bring Absalom home to Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 14:4-7
14:4 "spoke to the king" Many later Hebrew MSS, the Targums, the LXX, Peshitta, as well as the Vulgate, have "came to the king." ▣ "Help, O King" Israeli citizens had the right to ask the king for justice/deliverance/help (cf. 2 Kgs. 6:26). He was YHWH's judicial representative. 14:7 "they will extinguish my coal which is left" This imagery has to do with how the people of this period started their home fires in the morning. Usually a coal or ember from the last night's fire was used. If her last remaining son is killed, she would have no hope, no remnant, no remembrance of her family's name.
2 Samuel 14:8-11
14:11 "the Lord your God" This is the covenant name for Israel's Deity (i.e., YHWH) combined with a general name for deity in the ANE (i.e., Eloah). SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C. and D. ▣ "the avenger of blood" This denotes a member of the family who helps (see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 791, c). It could be the kinsman redeemer (cf. Lev. 25:25,47-55; Ruth 2:20; 4:4,6) the blood avenger (cf. Num. 35:19,21; Deut. 19:4-10; Josh. 20:3-5) In this parable of a brother killing a brother it is uncertain who the blood avenger would be except the extended family. The concept of a blood avenger was an OT way of limiting revenge. It was an aspect of the "eye for eye" legal system of Israel. ▣ "As the Lord lives" This was an oath formula based on a word play between the VERB "to be" (BDB 224) the covenant name for Israel's God, YHWH (BDB 217) ▣ "not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground" This was an idiom for safety and no retaliation (cf. 1 Sam. 14:45; 1 Kgs. 1:52). It may be the source of Jesus saying, "The very hairs of your head are numbered" (Matt. 10:30; Luke 21:18).
2 Samuel 14:12-17
14:13 As Nathan brought a realization of David's sin, this parable again condemns David for his actions (i.e., not allowing the heir apparent to return to the capital). 14:14 "we will surely die" This is an emphatic Hebrew grammatical structure which involves an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 559, KB 562). ▣ "Yet God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from Him" This statement expresses the basic orientation of YHWH, which is grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Oh my, what a great truth! The JPSOA interprets this as a reference to King David, not YHWH. "The apparent sense is: God will not punish you for bringing back the banished Absalom," p. 643. The MT has a COGNATE ACCUSATIVE, "not to banish" (BDB 623, KB 673, Qal IMPERFECT) his banished one (same root, Niphal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE). SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) 14:15 "the people" This could refer to the woman's clan or extended family who wanted to kill her only son (2 Sam. 14:7,11,16) the people of Israel wanting their handsome heir apparent to return to Jerusalem (v. 13 and possibly v. 17) 14:16 "the hand of the man" This is literally "palm" (BDB 496). SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND ▣ "the inheritance of God" Israel was the inheritance of YHWH. He gave them the land of Canaan (cf. 1 Sam. 26:19; Ps. 79:1; 136:21; Jer. 2:7). This is imagery from YHWH as "Father." SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD 4:17 NASB, NKJV "be comforting" "will set me at rest" "make me safe" "restore the peace" "be a comfort to me" "provide comfort" LXX, Peshitta "be as an offering" The MT has the FEMININE NOUN (BDB 629) "rest." BDB says "it is a figure for security and assurance (taken from resting equilibrium of a scale.)" This word is used of Ruth finding rest (i.e., protection and provision) by marriage (cf. Ruth 1:9). ▣ "for as the angel of God" Does this phrase refer to the rest brought by the presence of the Angel of God the angel knowing "good and evil" (cf. v. 20; 19:27; NKJV, TEV, NJB) David's majesty like the Angel of God (REB)? SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE Lord
2 Samuel 14:18-20
14:19 "As your soul lives" This was an oath by the life of the king (cf. 1 Sam. 17:55). ▣ "no one can turn to the right or to the left" This imagery comes from YHWH's truth/covenant as a "road," "way," or "path." To deviate from the clearly shown way is rebellion. Here, it means no one can lie to the king who has the discernment of the Angel of God (cf. 2 Sam. 14:20). 14:20 This is obviously hyperbolic language. One reason westerners misinterpret the Bible is that they do not understand eastern imagery. Two books that have helped me in this area are G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic ▣ "earth" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY, EARTH (OT).
2 Samuel 14:21-24
14:24 Absalom returned from exile but was not fully restored to fellowship with David. Absalom now is the heir apparent to the throne of Israel. Maybe this is why Joab acted on his behalf.
2 Samuel 14:25-27
14:25-26 These verses express the cultural expectations of the physical appearance of a king. 14:26 "shekels" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES. 14:27 "Tamar" This was Absalom's sister (cf. 2 Sam. 13:1), but now she lived in his house as a daughter (one protected). The LXX adds "Tamar. . .and she became wife to Rehoboam son of Solomon and she bore him Abia." For a possible explanation of this see Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 245. 2 Samuel 14:27 mentioning three sons is surprising in light of 2 Sam. 18:18. Possibly the sons had died by chapter 18.
2 Samuel 14:28-33
14:28-33 This account clearly shows the personality of Absalom (v. 30) the reluctance of Joab to do more for Absalom (v. 29) Absalom's sense that he had not done wrong in killing Amnon (v. 32) David's restoration of Absalom would prove to be a problem (2 Samuel 15-18) 14:30 "set it on fire" The MT has the VERB, BDB 428, KB 429, Hiphil PERFECT with waw. But the Masoretic scholars suggested it be understood as a Hiphil IMPERATIVE to match, "go" (Qal IMPERATIVE). 14:33 "the king kissed Absalom" This was a gesture of full restoration, acceptance, or feeling of love (cf. Gen. 33:4; 45:15; Exod. 18:7; Ruth 1:9,14; 1 Sam. 10:1; 20:41).