2 Samuel 14
Meaning of 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 is a chapter from the second book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible. This chapter is primarily centered around three key characters: King David, his son Absalom, and the wise woman of Tekoah who serves to usher in a reconciliation process.
In this chapter, Joab, the commander of King David’s army, notices that David longs for his son, Absalom, knowing that although Absalom killed his brother Amnon, David still misses him. Joab devises a plan to see Absalom returned from exile. He sends a wise woman from Tekoah to King David. This woman tells David a parable about her own supposed family situation, which parallel David’s predicament with his sons.
Through the woman’s dialogue, David realizes that he should apply the same grace and mercy he suggested for her situation to his own family situation. Overcome by the woman’s words, and agreeing that he needs to make amends, David gives permission for Absalom to return.
However, upon his return, David does not immediately grant Absalom the father-son meeting he seeks. After two years of being ignored, Absalom orders his men to set Joab’s field on fire to get his attention. Having gotten Joab’s attention, Absalom asks Joab to arrange for him to meet his father, David. When this occurs, David forgives Absalom, illustrating the power of reconciliation and forgiveness within a family, even after serious wrongdoing.
The chapter highlights themes of mercy, forgiveness, parental love, and the complex nature of family dynamics. It is an acknowledgment of David’s own fallibility and his evolution as a father and a king.
2 Samuel 14 kjv
The 2 Samuel 14 passage in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is a part of the historical books of the Old Testament, which outlines the reign of King David and the events that took place during his reign.
In the previous chapters, David’s son, Amnon had raped his half-sister Tamar, which led to him being killed by their brother Absalom. After Amnon’s death, Absalom fled to Geshur and stayed there for 3 years.
In 2 Samuel 14, Joab, the commander of David’s army, recognizes that King David is still grieving and longing for his son Absalom. So, Joab devised a plan to reconcile David and Absalom. He hired a wise woman from Tekoa who pretended to be a mourner and told King David a story about her two sons, one who killed the other, and now the people wanted her to hand over the surviving son to be killed, which would leave her with no descendants to carry on her husband’s name.
Moved by her tale, David promised that her son would be safe. The woman then compared this situation to David’s estrangement with Absalom, persuading him to allow his son to return to Jerusalem. Joab, who had orchestrated the woman’s words, was told to bring Absalom back.
David permits Absalom to return to Jerusalem but has him live in a separate house, without seeing him. For two full years, Absalom lived in Jerusalem without seeing the king. Dissatisfied with this, and through a series of events, Absalom able to secured a meeting with David, effectively putting an end to their estrangement. This chapter serves as the prelude to Absalom’s rebellion against David in the following chapters.
2 Samuel 14 nkjv
2 Samuel 14 in the New King James Version (NKJV) is a chapter of the Bible that describes the plot of Joab to bring back Absalom, who had been in exile for murdering his half-brother Amnon, back to King David, their father. Here, Joab uses a wise woman from Tekoah to tell David a story that parallels the King’s current situation with Absalom.
The woman tells a story about how her two sons got into a fight that resulted in one of them killing the other. She explains that her community is demanding that the remaining son be put to death as a punishment. However, this would leave her without a male heir and would lead to the extinction of their family line. David assures the woman that her son will be protected.
Then, the woman reveals that her story was a metaphor for King David’s current situation with Absalom. She reminds David of God’s heart for reconciliation, and David realizes the truth and allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem.
However, even though Absalom is permitted to return, he is not allowed to see his father’s face. This causes conflict and tension between them.
Furthermore, the chapter describes Absalom as an attractive man without any physical defects, who was highly esteemed for his good looks and the impressive quality of his hair, outlining that routine cutting of his hair was an event due to the heavy weight.
So, overall, this chapter focuses on familial relationships, reconciliation, justice, and the portrayal of Absalom. It prepares a path for the following chapters detailing Absalom’s revolt.
2 Samuel 14 niv
2 Samuel 14 in the New International Version (NIV) is primarily about Joab devising a plan to reconcile King David and his son Absalom. Joab sends a wise woman from Tekoa to David, to tell him a story detailing a similar family issue as his. She tells a tale of a widow who had two sons, one of whom killed the other. Now the remaining child is threatened by the trade community who want to punish him for his brother’s death. This poses a dilemma because punishing her son means erasing the widow’s legacy and inheritance.
The king, feeling sympathy for the woman, orders to protect her son. The woman then expresses her confusion as why David doesn’t extend the same mercy to Absalom. She challenges him to forgive Absalom, just like he did her son in her parable. Caught, David realizes that Joab orchestrated this scenario. David then orders Joab to bring Absalom back.
Absalom, however, isn’t welcomed back with official recognition; he’s only allowed to return to his own home but is not invited to court. Absalom requests to see his father – even stating that it would be better to have been killed than languish in this sort of purgatory. David, likely still conflicted and upset, kisses Absalom but still maintains his distance.
In summary, this chapter shows David’s internal struggle between his roles as King (where he has to maintain order and justice) and as father (where he naturally wishes to forgive and reconcile with his son).
What is 2 Samuel 14 all about?
2 Samuel 14 chronicles the return of Absalom, King David’s son, to Jerusalem after a period of exile. The chapter begins with Joab, the head of David’s army, noticing that David missed Absalom and devising a plan to bring him back to Jerusalem.
Joab sends a wise woman from Tekoa to David. She pretends to be a grieving widow whose two sons had a fight resulting in one son killing the other. She tells David that her clan wants to kill her surviving son for the death of his brother, which would leave her without a hopeful family line and legacy. David assures the woman that her son will be protected.
The woman uses this promise to challenge David to reconcile with his estranged son, Absalom. She questions why David isn’t willing to do for his own son what he would do for hers. Moved by her words, David realizes the wisdom in forgiving his son and orders Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem.
However, upon his return, Absalom is not permitted to see the King’s face and lives in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. Absalom, strikingly handsome and with a head full of luxurious hair, eventually gets Joab’s attention by setting fire to his barley field, leading to a meeting with David. The chapter concludes with King David finally succumbing to Absalom’s pleas for forgiveness and reconciling with his son.
In summary, 2 Samuel 14 demonstrates some of the continuing family turmoil within King David’s family following his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. It also highlights the use of parables and persuasion via third parties within the context of ancient Israeli society.
What does 2 Samuel 14 teaches?
The book of 2 Samuel 14 describes the story of Absalom’s return from exile. There are several themes or lessons which the chapter dwells upon:
1. Manipulation and Deception: The first part of this chapter is a carefully crafted attempt by Joab (David’s commander) to manipulate King David into recalling Absalom by using a woman of Tekoa to tell a deceptive story. This shows the negative effects of manipulation and dishonesty.
2. The Power of Persuasive Speech: The woman from Tekoa was able to convincingly recount a fabricated tale to King David. Her story triggered the king’s compassion as well as his sense of justice, pushing him to make a decision he otherwise may not have made. This underlines the power words hold and how it can be used, or abused, to steer others’ decisions.
3. Second Chances and Forgiveness: The story also teaches the value of forgiveness and second chances. Despite his sin, Absalom is called back to the kingdom by King David. It may point to God’s forgiveness, always welcoming his wayward children back, when they seek His mercy and forgiveness.
4. Consequences of Actions: On returning to Jerusalem, Absalom is not immediately accepted by David. This makes it clear that while forgiveness is available, actions still have consequences.
5. Strained Relationships: The chapter highlights the strain between father and son, David and Absalom, a reflection of family turmoil – a recurring theme in David’s life. It reflects the biblical teaching that misdeeds, especially those within families, can result in long-lasting discord and strained relationships.
6. Impartial Justice: In the end, David realizes his error in making judgments based on emotional appeals rather than impartial justice, which can serve as a lesson in not allowing personal feelings to blind us to justice, fairness, and righteousness.
A Sermon on 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 is a chapter in the Old Testament of the Bible which continues the story of King David and his reign. The chapter focuses mainly on David’s son, Absalom, and his eventual return to Jerusalem after being exiled for the murder of his half-brother, Amnon.
A sermon on this chapter could discuss several key themes:
1. Sin and Consequences: The text tells us Absalom has been in exile for three years due to his sin of taking revenge and murdering his half-brother Amnon. This reflects the serious consequences that sin can have on our lives.
2. Repentance and Forgiveness: King David is persuaded by Joab, through a parable told by a wise woman, to bring back Absalom. This mirrors God’s willingness to forgive us when we repent. However, it also highlights the complexity of forgiveness as Absalom’s return is allowed but not a full restoration.
3. Relationship and Reconciliation: The chapter ends with Absalom returning to Jerusalem, but more intriguingly, David refusing to see him for two years. This might raise questions about reconciliation and the process of amending broken relationships.
4. Manipulation and Wisdom: Joab’s use of the wise woman to manipulate David into bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem speaks to the wisdom and manipulation used by individuals to reach their goals and may raise questions about motives.
5. Absalom’s Beauty and Pride: The chapter describes Absalom’s physical beauty, especially his hair – a symbol of his pride. In the Bible, pride often precedes destruction, and this foreshadows Absalom’s future rebellion and demise.
In summary, a sermon on this chapter might discuss the consequences of sin, the process of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, the potential danger of manipulation, and the pitfalls of vanity and pride. It offers valuable lessons on forgiveness, manipulation, consequences of actions and the complexity of relationships both with humanity and with God.
Key people in 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 includes many key people who play significant roles in this narrative of the Old Testament of the Bible. Here are the prominent characters:
1. David: King of Israel, he is the father of Absalom and the ruler of the kingdom. He is full of grief and longs for his son, Absalom, whom he has banished for the murder of his half-brother, Amnon.
2. Absalom: Absalom is David’s son who is in exile for killing his half-brother, Amnon. Absalom killed Amnon after Amnon violated Tamar, Absalom’s sister. Absalom lives in Geshur and yearns to return to Jerusalem.
3. Joab: Joab is the commander of David’s army and a sort of political advisor to him. Understanding David’s emotion towards Absalom, Joab devises a plan to reconcile David and Absalom.
4. The Wise Woman from Tekoa: Joab sends this wise woman to speak with David. She presents a fabricated story that parallels David’s situation with Absalom, helping David to see that he should forgive his son and allow him to return.
5. Tamar: Tamar, Absalom’s sister, is not actively present in this chapter, but her violation by Amnon is referred to in the tale and is the reason for Absalom’s revenge and his consequent banishment.
6. Amnon: Amnon is David’s oldest son and the half-brother of Absalom and Tamar. He raped his half-sister Tamar, and for this, he was killed by Absalom. He is already dead by the time of 2 Samuel 14, but the events significantly affect the plot.
The chapter primarily revolves around the attempts made by Joab to reconcile King David with his son Absalom, who had been living in exile.
Real world examples on 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 in the Bible presents a story about King David, his sons Amnon and Absalom, and a wise woman from Tekoa. This story can be related to many real-world scenarios or situations.
1. **Dealing with Unresolved Conflicts:** Absalom, being angered by the rape of his sister by their half-brother Amnon, kills him. Afterwards, Absalom flees and detaches himself from his father, King David. This can be seen in real life where unresolved conflicts can lead to anger, revenge, and further harm to those involved. It also showcases the isolation and estrangement that can occur within families due to unresolved issues.
2. **Manipulation and Deception for Justice:** The wise woman of Tekoa is sent by Joab to King David to persuade him on how to deal with the situation of Absalom. She uses a fabricated story and her wisdom to convince David to reconcile with his son. This can be mirrored in real-world scenarios where people use similar strategies to bring about change and solve conflicts sometimes in courtrooms or politics.
3. **Neglected Responsibility:** David failing to punish Amnon for his crime against Tamar leads to further devastation within his family. There are many real-life instances where unchecked or unjust actions can lead to a toxic environment and more significant repercussions.
4. **Mercy and Reconciliation:** The end of 2 Samuel 14 shows David forgiving Absalom and welcoming him back to Jerusalem. It outlines values of forgiveness and reconciliation that are practiced in our day-to-day life, within families, communities, nations, and more.
5. **Struggles of Leadership:** King David’s difficulty in balancing his roles as a king and as a father can be an analogy for the struggle leaders today may face while making decisions that can both affect their personal lives and the people they are leading.
Remember, interpretations can vary widely given the religious, cultural, and personal factors that shape how one reads and understands biblical narratives.
Brief Explanation of 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 deals mainly with the return of Absalom, King David’s son, after he had fled to Geshur due to his murder of his half-brother Amnon. The chapter opens with Joab, the commander of David’s army, realizing that King David was still grieving for Absalom. So Joab devised a plan to bring Absalom back. He hired a wise woman from Tekoa to act out a story to convince David to bring back Absalom.
In her tale, the woman spoke of having two sons, one of whom killed the other. Fearing the retribution from their community, she pleaded with the king for protection, drawing parallels with David’s situation with Absalom.
Moved by her story, David agreed to her request. The woman revealed that her story was a parable, pushing David to apply the same mercy he offered her to his banished son, Absalom. David recognized Joab’s hand in this, but agreed to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but without the privilege of seeing him.
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. Eventually, Absalom summoned Joab in order to seek an audience with his father. After two unsuccessful attempts, Absalom finally managed to get Joab’s attention by setting his field on fire.
Joab went to David and explained Absalom’s wishes. David then allowed Absalom to come see him, and when he did, Absalom bowed low out of respect for his father, and David kissed him, signifying the end of their estrangement.
Frequently asked questions for 2 Samuel 14
It is important to note that as an AI, I can anticipate the types of questions that are commonly asked based on the content of the chapter, and common themes in theological queries. Here are the frequently asked questions derived from 2 Samuel 14:
1. Who is the wise woman from Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14 and why did Joab send her to David?
Answer: The wise woman from Tekoa is an unnamed character in the Bible who is described as a wise woman. Joab orchestrated a scheme to reconcile David and Absalom, his son, by sending this wise woman to tell a fabricated story to appeal to David’s emotions.
2. What was the parable that the woman from Tekoa told David?
Answer: The woman of Tekoa was instructed by Joab to go to king David and tell him an invented story about her being a widow with two sons. One of her sons killed the other in a fight and now her clan wanted to kill her remaining son, making her lineage extinct. This story was supposed to mirror David’s dilemma with his sons Absalom and Amnon.
3. What was David’s reaction to the parable of the Woman of Tekoa?
Answer: David first reacted to the fake story with sympathy and promised protection for her son. When she revealed that the story was a metaphor for his relationship with his son Absalom, David was moved and decided to bring Absalom back from exile.
4. Why was Absalom in exile?
Answer: Absalom was in exile because he had murdered his half-brother Amnon as revenge for raping their sister Tamar. Absalom then fled to Geshur and stayed there for 3 years.
5. What does 2 Samuel 14 tell us about the relationship between David and Absalom?
Answer: 2 Samuel 14 shows us a strained father-son relationship. Absalom had been in exile for the actions he had taken against his brother, and David was torn between his duty as a king to serve justice and his love for his son. Even after Absalom’s return, David didn’t see him for 2 years which suggests continued tension in their relationship.
6. What can we learn from 2 Samuel 14?
Answer: We can glean a few lessons from this chapter such as, the consequences of unforgiveness and bitterness, the complexity of family issues and biases, and the importance of wisdom during conflict resolution.
Possible References for 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 is a chapter in the second book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible. This chapter primarily tells the story of Absalom’s return. The following are the main events or possible references:
1. Joab’s Intervention: Joab, the commander of King David’s army, is aware of David’s distress over his son Absalom, who is in exile for murdering his half-brother Amnon. Joab devises a plan and uses a wise woman from Tekoa to tell David a story in hopes of convincing him to reconcile with Absalom.
2. The Woman of Tekoa: Joab sends a wise woman from Tekoa to David to tell a parable. The parable is about a woman who is also a widow and has lost one son due to a murder committed by her remaining son. In this story, the people want to kill her son for the blood vengeance. But, if they kill her son, the woman will be left with no heir and their family name will be lost. This parable mirrors David’s own situation with Absalom.
3. David’s Decision: Touched by the story, David decides to let the woman’s son live. She then reveals that David’s situation with Absalom is similar. She appeals to David to forgive Absalom. Persuaded, David commands Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem.
4. Absalom’s Return: Absalom returns to Jerusalem but is not immediately allowed to see King David. He lives in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father.
5. Absalom’s Reconciliation with David: After two years, Absalom pressures Joab into arranging a reconciliation with King David. David finally agrees to meet Absalom, and they are reconciled.
Thus, 2 Samuel 14 mainly refers to Absalom’s return to Jerusalem and his reconciliation with King David.
Conclusion on 2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 is a complex chapter in the history of King David’s reign. The conclusion of this chapter sheds light on the ongoing familial and political struggles.
In the chapter’s conclusion, King David allows his son Absalom to return to Jerusalem after years of exile due to the murder of his half-brother Amnon (David’s eldest son). However, David insists on not seeing Absalom’s face, signifying that Absalom is not fully forgiven or restored to his previous status.
The chapter concludes with an account of Absalom’s impressive physical attributes and the birth of his children, one of whom he named Tamar, after his sister who was violated by Amnon.
The conclusion can be interpreted in many ways. It signifies David’s struggle to balance justice and love for his offspring. It also foreshadows the upcoming conflict between David and Absalom, which is a critical event in the following chapters. Thus the ending sets the groundwork for ensuing power struggles and familial conflict within David’s house, reflecting on the vulnerability of his kingship and the consequences of his past sins.