2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 14

Three years had passed since Absalom left Jerusalem, and David still mourned over the tragedies that had occurred amongst his children. Seeing his distress, Joab decided to step in and help bring the two men back together. He knew that David longed to see Absalom, so he went and found a woman from Tekoa and devised a plan with her. Joab instructed this woman to pretend to be a mourning widow who had been through a situation very similar to David’s. She tells him of a story about two men, who she claims to be her children, and explains how one rose up and killed the other. She then discusses all of the repercussions that came about as a result of this tragic event. The people of her city were now seeking the life of her other son as a form of punishment for his actions.


David was very sympathetic to her story and was willing to aid her with whatever she needed, but that is when she turned the tables on David. Although David had truly mourned over the tragic events in 2 Samuel 13, he had not initiated reconciliation with Absalom. Yes, he needed to be patient and wait for Absalom to return to him in repentance; however, three years had now passed. Although David wanted Absalom to return, he also needed to assure Absalom that he still loved him and wanted to rectify the situation. In 2 Samuel 13 we saw a parallel between God’s love for His children and David’s love for Amnon and Absalom, but this is not a perfect parallel. Although God does wait us out, He also lets us know that He is there waiting for us. He reveals Himself to us through many ways such as creation, His Word, and the people He places in our lives. So in one sense, David was expressing the same type of love that God shows us to his son Absalom, but in another sense, David was harboring resentment. By not reaching out to Absalom, he left Absalom wondering if his father really cared.

Out of love for his friend, Joab stepped in and developed this crafty plan to help David see the need to make that first move. Since three years had now passed, it seemed pretty obvious to Joab that Absalom would not come back to Jerusalem on his own. The story from the woman of Tekoa helped David see that he needed to take the initiative in rectifying his relationship with his son. So after the woman left, David sent word to Geshur, the city in which Absalom had been living, for Absalom to return home.

After Absalom’s return, it seemed as if all would be well again. David and Absalom would figure things out and move past the tragic events of the last several years, and Israel would continue to prosper under his kingship. But the problems did not end with Absalom’s return. In fact, they only grew worse. When Absalom returned, David gave him a home of his own and Absalom was commanded to remain there. Furthermore, David refused to allow Absalom to enter into his presence. So again we see that David was still having problems reconciling with Absalom. He was obviously upset that Absalom had killed Amnon, his brother and David’s son, but that had now happened over three years ago, and it was time to move on. Another two years passed by, and although Absalom was in Jerusalem, he had still had no contact with his father. But before we place all the blame on David, it should also be noted that Absalom did not take the effort to speak with David during those two years either. However, the time finally came when Absalom wanted to speak with his father, and he sent word to Joab to set up a meeting. When Joab continued to ignore his requests, time and time again, Absalom had Joab’s field set on fire. Catching Joab’s attention, Absalom once again gave his request to see David, and the two men were finally reunited.

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