Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 14
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Samuel 14
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Samuel 14
"Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king`s heart was toward Absalom." — 2 Samuel 14:1 (ASV)
Was toward Absalom. — This, like the last verse of the previous chapter, may be understood in either of two opposite senses: either David’s heart yearned for Absalom (as the Authorised Version, Vulgate, Septuagint, Syriac), or it was hostile to him. The Hebrew preposition is used in both senses, though more frequently in the latter, and unquestionably expresses hostility in the only other place (Daniel 11:28) in which this form of the phrase occurs. The verse would then be translated, And Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart was against Absalom. Hence his stratagem to obtain his recall, which would otherwise have been quite unnecessary.
"And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead:" — 2 Samuel 14:2 (ASV)
Tekoah. —A village on a high hill five miles south of Bethlehem, the home of the prophet Amos. It was also the native place of Ira, one of David’s thirty heroes (2 Samuel 23:26), and was near enough to Bethlehem, the home of Joab, for him to have had personal knowledge of this “wise woman.” There is no ground whatever for suspecting her of being a “witch,” or in any way disreputable.
The parable that follows was contrived by Joab, yet also required skill and address on the part of the woman. It is purposely made not too closely parallel to the case of Absalom, so that it would not defeat its own object. In general it needs no comment.
"And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king." — 2 Samuel 14:4 (ASV)
Spake to the king. —Many manuscripts and the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac have came to the king. The difference is immaterial.
"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 killed him." — 2 Samuel 14:6 (ASV)
They two strove together. —The woman represents the fratricide as unpremeditated and without malice. This really made the case essentially different from that of Absalom; but at this point of the story the object is to dispose the king favorably towards the culprit, while by the time the application is reached, this point will have passed out of mind.
"And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth." — 2 Samuel 14:7 (ASV)
We will destroy the heir also. —The woman puts this into the mouth of the family, because this would be the result of what they proposed. The effect of the parable is greatly heightened by this, and a covert allusion to Absalom as the heir of David is undoubtedly intended.
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