2 Samuel 14:14

THE woman of Tekoah, in arguing with David for the recall of his son Absalom, argued with great shrewdness. After craftily entrapping the king by her parable, she then pleaded with him in persuasive terms—the cleverness of which we must admire—though the end aimed at was not consistent with the impartial justice which every magistrate ought to exercise. In effect she pleaded thus—"It is true that Absalom slew his brother Amnon. But nevertheless spare his life, and permit him to return from exile. What is done cannot be undone.

Absalom has reason to complain that he is treated by his own father more sternly and severely than the meanest subject in the realm; and the whole nation will have cause for saying that the king shows more attention to the petition of a humble woman than to the wishes and desires of a whole kingdom.

And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman--The king was strongly attached to Absalom; and having now got over his sorrow for the violent death of Amnon, he was desirous of again enjoying the society of his favorite son, who had now been three long years absent.

THE woman of Tekoah, in arguing with David for the recall of his son Absalom, argued with great shrewdness. After craftily entrapping the king by her parable, she then pleaded with him in persuasive terms—the cleverness of which we must admire—though the end aimed at was not consistent with the impartial justice which every magistrate ought to exercise. In effect she pleaded thus—"It is true that Absalom slew his brother Amnon. But nevertheless spare his life, and permit him to return from exile. What is done cannot be undone. Death is the common lot of all, and one way or another we must all become like water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up. "By the death of his brother the slain man cannot be brought to life again. Have pity, therefore, upon Absalom, and quench not the coal of Israel's hope by executing the death penalty on your successor. It is true you must have no respect to persons, neither does God have any, but still He has been pleased in His infinite mercy to ordain a way by which the refugee manslayer may be restored to his home." It was well known to David that on the death of the High Priest, man-slayers who had found shelter in the cities set apart for refuge were allowed to go home and take full possession of their lands, being by the High Priest's death absolved from further liability to revengeful kinsmen of their victims, and allowed to mingle with other Israelites in the worship of God. "God then," says she, "has devised means by which His banished should not always be expelled from Him—do you likewise. Though Absalom may have fled for awhile, and been in banishment, have pity upon your son, and restore him." Thus much concerning the woman's argument, and no more. She gained her point, and we hear no more of her, nor need we think further of her and her shrewdness.

His banished - The use of the word as applied to one of the people of God driven into a pagan land, is well illustrated by Deu 30:4-5; Jer 40:12; Mic 4:6; Zep 3:19. Neither doth God respect any person - Some prefer the margin: “And God does not take away life, in the case of every sin that deserves death, e. g. David’s own case 2Sa 12:13, but devises devices that the wanderer may not be forever expelled from him, i. e., for the return of penitent sinners.”