2 samuel 14:13 - The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.
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What does "2 samuel 14:13" mean?
This verse from 2 Samuel 14:13 is part of a carefully crafted speech by a wise woman from Tekoa, orchestrated by Joab (David's general) to persuade King David to allow his son Absalom to return to Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God?" This is the core of her argument. She's cleverly framing David's actions (keeping Absalom banished) as something he has "devised" or planned, and moreover, as something harmful to the people of God. She is indirectly pointing out the contradiction in David’s behavior. He is meant to be the shepherd of his people, yet his actions are hurting them by keeping the royal family divided.
"For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty..." The "word" she's referring to is David's judgment. The woman uses a parable (earlier in the chapter) about two sons, one of whom killed the other, and she asks the King for justice. She has tricked him into judging his own situation. By judging the fictional crime in her parable, the woman is essentially saying that David is judging himself.
"...in that the king does not bring home again his banished one." This is the crucial conclusion. By making a judgment against someone who has killed his brother, the King has declared that forgiveness and reconciliation is possible. However, he is acting against this principle by keeping Absalom, who killed his half-brother Amnon, banished. The woman is stating that David's refusal to bring Absalom back is inconsistent with the very justice he is advocating. David is as good as guilty of hypocrisy, for not applying this same principle to Absalom.
In essence, the woman is cleverly employing a rhetorical trap:
1. She uses a fictional scenario to get David to express a principle of justice and mercy.
2. She then points out the inconsistency between that principle and David's treatment of Absalom.
3. She is gently accusing David of inflicting harm on the nation by prolonging the family conflict, and she is doing so by appealing to his sense of justice and responsibility as a leader. She is playing on David’s known righteousness.
Purpose:
The purpose of this verse within the larger narrative is to subtly manipulate David into recognizing the injustice and pain caused by Absalom's exile. By framing the situation in this way, the woman hopes to elicit a change of heart and convince David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem. This serves Joab's purpose of re-integrating Absalom back into the court and potentially diffusing a larger political crisis.
2 samuel 14:13 - The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.
What does "2 samuel 14:13" mean?
This verse from 2 Samuel 14:13 is part of a carefully crafted speech by a wise woman from Tekoa, orchestrated by Joab (David's general) to persuade King David to allow his son Absalom to return to Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God?" This is the core of her argument. She's cleverly framing David's actions (keeping Absalom banished) as something he has "devised" or planned, and moreover, as something harmful to the people of God. She is indirectly pointing out the contradiction in David’s behavior. He is meant to be the shepherd of his people, yet his actions are hurting them by keeping the royal family divided.
"For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty..." The "word" she's referring to is David's judgment. The woman uses a parable (earlier in the chapter) about two sons, one of whom killed the other, and she asks the King for justice. She has tricked him into judging his own situation. By judging the fictional crime in her parable, the woman is essentially saying that David is judging himself.
"...in that the king does not bring home again his banished one." This is the crucial conclusion. By making a judgment against someone who has killed his brother, the King has declared that forgiveness and reconciliation is possible. However, he is acting against this principle by keeping Absalom, who killed his half-brother Amnon, banished. The woman is stating that David's refusal to bring Absalom back is inconsistent with the very justice he is advocating. David is as good as guilty of hypocrisy, for not applying this same principle to Absalom.
In essence, the woman is cleverly employing a rhetorical trap:
1. She uses a fictional scenario to get David to express a principle of justice and mercy.
2. She then points out the inconsistency between that principle and David's treatment of Absalom.
3. She is gently accusing David of inflicting harm on the nation by prolonging the family conflict, and she is doing so by appealing to his sense of justice and responsibility as a leader. She is playing on David’s known righteousness.
Purpose:
The purpose of this verse within the larger narrative is to subtly manipulate David into recognizing the injustice and pain caused by Absalom's exile. By framing the situation in this way, the woman hopes to elicit a change of heart and convince David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem. This serves Joab's purpose of re-integrating Absalom back into the court and potentially diffusing a larger political crisis.