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2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel book home•Chapter 14 of 24•33 verses

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2 Samuel 14 Overview

Joab perceives that David longs for Absalom and sends a wise woman from Tekoah to present a fictional case designed to make David rule in favor of preserving a guilty son. She then applies the principle to Absalom’s exile. David permits Absalom to return to Jerusalem but refuses to see him for two full years. Absalom finally burns Joab’s field to force a meeting, and David receives him with a kiss.

2 SamuelBook

14Chapter

33Verses

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Before you read 2 Samuel 14

Coming from

Chapter 13 ended with Absalom fleeing after arranging Amnon’s murder and David mourning the broken state of his family.

In this chapter

Absalom returns physically to Jerusalem, but the chapter exposes how incomplete and politically managed the reconciliation really is.

Leads into

Chapter 15 reveals the result of this unresolved relationship: Absalom builds a public following, steals the hearts of Israel, declares himself king at Hebron, and forces David to flee Jerusalem.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The wise woman’s story resembles Nathan’s earlier method of presenting a case before applying it to David, but the moral situations are not identical. Joab is manipulating circumstances to secure Absalom’s return, and the woman’s theological language should not automatically be treated as a direct oracle from God. Absalom’s outward beauty and popularity are emphasized, yet his actions—especially burning Joab’s field—show coercion and self-will. The final kiss restores court access, but the next chapter proves that the deeper conflict is not resolved.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Physical return is not the same as genuine reconciliation; unresolved guilt and alienation remain beneath the restored appearance.

Truth 2

Political skill can produce an arrangement without healing the moral damage that created the conflict.

Truth 3

Absalom’s impressive appearance and popularity do not reveal the condition of his heart or guarantee righteous leadership.

Truth 4

David’s inconsistent handling of family wrongdoing continues to weaken the stability of his own house.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

2 Samuel 12–13 provides the background of David’s household judgment and Absalom’s murder of Amnon that makes the return so difficult.

Connection 2

1 Samuel 16:7 had already warned against judging leadership by outward appearance; Absalom’s striking beauty will not prevent destructive ambition.

Connection 3

Chapter 15 immediately shows that restoring Absalom to visible favor without resolving his rebellion does not produce loyalty.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The wise woman speaks persuasively, but not every theological phrase in a persuasive speech should be isolated as though God Himself directly endorsed Joab’s entire plan.

Keep this clear 2

David’s kiss at the end should not be read as proof that full moral reconciliation has occurred; the following chapter shows Absalom actively conspiring against him.

Keep this clear 3

Absalom’s beauty, hair, and social appeal are descriptive features. Scripture does not equate physical attractiveness with spiritual worth.

Read 2 Samuel 14 watching for…

The fictional case Joab tells the woman to present.

The point where the woman turns the case toward Absalom.

David’s restriction after allowing Absalom back to Jerusalem.

The emphasis placed on Absalom’s appearance.

Why Absalom burns Joab’s field.

What the final kiss does—and does not prove—about the relationship.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-20Joab uses a wise woman of Tekoah to persuade David concerning Absalom 21-24Absalom returns to Jerusalem but does not see the king 25-27Absalom’s appearance and children are described 28-33Absalom forces Joab to act and is received by David

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

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:

And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

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.

And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

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.

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.

And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

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.

And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

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.

Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

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.

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

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.

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.

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.

And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

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.

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.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

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.

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.

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2 Samuel 14:4

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