Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
June 26, 2022
Commentary
Joab knew that David could not stop thinking about his son Absalom (14:1). Recognizing the king’s emotional struggle, Joab arranged for a woman from Tekoa to speak to David. She dressed like a mourner and followed Joab’s instructions carefully, presenting herself as a grieving widow (14:2–3). When she came before the king, she pleaded for help, explaining that her two sons had fought, leaving one dead and the other facing execution (14:4–7). Her carefully told story was meant to awaken David’s compassion and draw out a merciful ruling.
David promised to protect the woman’s remaining son and declared that no harm would come to him (14:8–11). After securing David’s commitment, the woman turned the story toward the king himself. She asked why David would show mercy to her son but refuse to bring back his own son, Absalom (14:12–13). She reminded David that all people must eventually die, yet God desires restoration and does not permanently banish those who fall. Her words gently exposed the gap between David’s wise judgment for others and his hesi-tation to act within his own family.
David quickly realized that Joab was behind the plan, and the woman admitted it openly (14:18–20). David then instructed Joab to bring Absalom back from exile, and Joab thanked the king for granting his request (14:21–22). Absalom returned to Jerusalem, but David refused to see him or restore their relationship fully (14:23–24). Though Absalom was physically near, reconciliation remained incomplete. This chapter shows how unresolved conflict and delayed forgiveness leave families divided, weaken leadership, deepen wounds, and prepare the ground for future conflict and sorrow.
Application
When relationships are broken, how do I respond? Do I avoid hard conversa-tions instead of seeking real healing? When forgiveness feels costly, do I delay it? Today, I will ask God to give me wisdom, courage, and humility to seek honest reconciliation, to forgive fully, and choose love instead of distance or silence in my life.
2 Samuel 14:1–24 (NET)
1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.
4 So the Tekoan woman went to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, O king!” 5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 Your servant has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”
10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 11 She replied, “In that case, let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not add to the killing! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. 15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks. 16 Yes! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”
18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I will do this thing. Go and bring back the young man Absalom!” 22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant!”
23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “Let him go over to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.
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