This verse, 2 Samuel 14:15, is part of the story of the wise woman of Tekoa who is sent by Joab to trick King David into bringing his exiled son Absalom back from exile. Let's break down what the verse is saying:
"Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king..." This establishes the context. The woman is explaining why she's telling her story and making her request to David. She's already presented a fictional scenario (about her sons, one of whom killed the other).
"...it is because the people have made me afraid." This is a key piece of the deception. She's claiming her motivation is fear of the people. She suggests the community is pressuring her, perhaps to avenge the dead son, and she's appealing to the king for protection and justice. This creates a sense of urgency and paints her as a victim.
"Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’" This expresses her hope and flattery towards David. She presents herself as vulnerable and believes only the king can help her. She's hoping to persuade David to take action on her behalf. She's framing her request as a simple thing the King has the power to grant, increasing the likelihood he will agree.
In Summary:
The verse reveals the woman's calculated approach. She's using fear of the populace and flattery towards the king to manipulate him into taking action on her fictional case. The real purpose, which David doesn't yet realize, is to influence him regarding Absalom's exile. The verse highlights how she's trying to create the impression of a desperate woman seeking justice and protection, thus setting up David to empathize with her and ultimately grant her request, which is cleverly analogous to Absalom's situation. This establishes the woman's motive and sets the stage for her request, ultimately designed to get David to think about and bring back Absalom.
This verse, 2 Samuel 14:15, is part of the story of the wise woman of Tekoa who is sent by Joab to trick King David into bringing his exiled son Absalom back from exile. Let's break down what the verse is saying:
"Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king..." This establishes the context. The woman is explaining why she's telling her story and making her request to David. She's already presented a fictional scenario (about her sons, one of whom killed the other).
"...it is because the people have made me afraid." This is a key piece of the deception. She's claiming her motivation is fear of the people. She suggests the community is pressuring her, perhaps to avenge the dead son, and she's appealing to the king for protection and justice. This creates a sense of urgency and paints her as a victim.
"Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’" This expresses her hope and flattery towards David. She presents herself as vulnerable and believes only the king can help her. She's hoping to persuade David to take action on her behalf. She's framing her request as a simple thing the King has the power to grant, increasing the likelihood he will agree.
In Summary:
The verse reveals the woman's calculated approach. She's using fear of the populace and flattery towards the king to manipulate him into taking action on her fictional case. The real purpose, which David doesn't yet realize, is to influence him regarding Absalom's exile. The verse highlights how she's trying to create the impression of a desperate woman seeking justice and protection, thus setting up David to empathize with her and ultimately grant her request, which is cleverly analogous to Absalom's situation. This establishes the woman's motive and sets the stage for her request, ultimately designed to get David to think about and bring back Absalom.