2 samuel 14:9 - The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”
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What does "2 samuel 14:9" mean?
The verse from 2 Samuel 14:9 is part of a carefully crafted performance by the woman of Tekoa, who is acting under instructions from Joab, David's general. Let's break down the meaning:
Context is key: The woman is telling a fictional story to King David to subtly persuade him to allow Absalom, his son who is in exile for murdering his half-brother, to return to Jerusalem. She presents a scenario where she has lost one son in a family feud and the surviving son is threatened with punishment.
"My lord, O king": This is a formal address of deference and respect, establishing her position as a subject before her ruler.
"May the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house": This is the crucial part. She is essentially saying, "If there is any guilt or wrongdoing in this matter (referring to the situation she's fabricated), let it fall on me and my family, not on you, the king, or your kingdom." This is a dramatic and rhetorical device used to:
Emphasize her innocence (or, in reality, David's) in the matter: She's taking the burden of guilt upon herself, suggesting that she's willing to bear any consequences to resolve the situation. This is meant to appeal to David's sense of justice and compassion.
Reassure the king: It’s designed to remove any hesitation David might have about pardoning Absalom. She offers to take responsibility so the king's throne won’t be tainted by his decision.
Create a sense of urgency: By offering to accept the burden of guilt, she implies that the situation is dire and requires immediate action from the king.
"and may the king and his throne be guiltless": This statement explicitly requests that David be free from any blame if he decides to show mercy or take a specific action regarding her (fictional) situation. She wants the king's reputation and authority to remain untarnished.
Her true agenda: The woman's ultimate goal, orchestrated by Joab, is to manipulate David into seeing the parallels between her fabricated story and his own situation with Absalom. Joab aims to make David realize that he is unfairly punishing Absalom by keeping him in exile.
In summary, the verse is a calculated attempt to absolve King David of any potential blame associated with a decision he might make regarding Absalom's return. The woman of Tekoa, playing her role, uses a dramatic declaration to offer herself as a scapegoat, urging David to act with compassion and bring his son back without fearing any negative repercussions.
2 samuel 14:9 - The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”
What does "2 samuel 14:9" mean?
The verse from 2 Samuel 14:9 is part of a carefully crafted performance by the woman of Tekoa, who is acting under instructions from Joab, David's general. Let's break down the meaning:
Context is key: The woman is telling a fictional story to King David to subtly persuade him to allow Absalom, his son who is in exile for murdering his half-brother, to return to Jerusalem. She presents a scenario where she has lost one son in a family feud and the surviving son is threatened with punishment.
"My lord, O king": This is a formal address of deference and respect, establishing her position as a subject before her ruler.
"May the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house": This is the crucial part. She is essentially saying, "If there is any guilt or wrongdoing in this matter (referring to the situation she's fabricated), let it fall on me and my family, not on you, the king, or your kingdom." This is a dramatic and rhetorical device used to:
Emphasize her innocence (or, in reality, David's) in the matter: She's taking the burden of guilt upon herself, suggesting that she's willing to bear any consequences to resolve the situation. This is meant to appeal to David's sense of justice and compassion.
Reassure the king: It’s designed to remove any hesitation David might have about pardoning Absalom. She offers to take responsibility so the king's throne won’t be tainted by his decision.
Create a sense of urgency: By offering to accept the burden of guilt, she implies that the situation is dire and requires immediate action from the king.
"and may the king and his throne be guiltless": This statement explicitly requests that David be free from any blame if he decides to show mercy or take a specific action regarding her (fictional) situation. She wants the king's reputation and authority to remain untarnished.
Her true agenda: The woman's ultimate goal, orchestrated by Joab, is to manipulate David into seeing the parallels between her fabricated story and his own situation with Absalom. Joab aims to make David realize that he is unfairly punishing Absalom by keeping him in exile.
In summary, the verse is a calculated attempt to absolve King David of any potential blame associated with a decision he might make regarding Absalom's return. The woman of Tekoa, playing her role, uses a dramatic declaration to offer herself as a scapegoat, urging David to act with compassion and bring his son back without fearing any negative repercussions.