2 Samuel 14:22
in 2 Samuel 14Joab fell facedown in homage and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “your servant knows that he has found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted his request.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king; and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of his servant.
KJV
And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 14
Commentary
7 notes on this verseFulfilled - But it seems David had no power to dispense with God's laws, nor to spare any whom God appointed him to destroy: for the laws of God bound the kings and rulers, as well as the people of Israel. How justly did God make this man, whom he had so sinfully spared, a scourge to him?
This site's exposition
bring the young man Absalom again
on 2 Samuel 14:21-22
David grants the request to Joab directly, not to the woman, which shows he read the scheme correctly from the start and answers the man behind it. Joab's gratitude at verse 22 is genuine and self-interested at once, for the general's own past bloodguilt sits safer once the king has shown he can forgive a killing son. Henry reads the scene as a small figure of a greater mercy, for the king does not restore Absalom on his own first motion but is moved to say Go, bring them again, much as a mediator's plea rather than a sinner's own standing brings the banished home.
This site's exposition
Joab fell facedown in homage
John Wesley holds that David had no power to set aside God's law on blood, and he sees Absalom's later revolt as God's scourge on that mercy. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown find selfishness in Joab's thanks. Matthew Henry notes that Solomon will call Joab to account at 1 Kings 2.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Joab took it as a kindness to himself, and (some think) as an indication that he would never call him to an account for the murder he had been guilty of. But, if he meant so, he was mistaken, as we shall find, 1 Kings ii.
And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself,....
After an account of Absalom, his person, and family, we are told how at length he was introduced by Joab into the king's presence, and the king was thoroughly reconciled to him,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight--Joab betrayed not a little selfishness amid his professions of joy at this act of grace to Absalom, and flattered himself that he now brought both father and son under lasting obligations.
The words behind it
26 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּפֹּל֩ | vaiyipol | and he fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
| יוֹאָ֨ב | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| פָּנָ֥יו | panav | face his | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אַ֛רְצָה | ʾartzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ | vaiyishtachu | and he bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ | vayvarekh | and he blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יוֹאָ֡ב | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| הַיּוֹם֩ | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יָדַ֨ע | yada' | he knows | H3045 → | 945 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֜ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָצָ֨אתִי | matzati | I have found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| חֵ֤ן | chen | favor | H2580 → | 69 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֣י | ʾadoni | O lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֥ה | ʾasah | he has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דְּבַ֥ר | devar | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ | avdekh | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
וַיִּפֹּל֩and he fell
vaiyipolH5307 →435 times
יוֹאָ֨בJoab
yoavH3097 →144 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
פָּנָ֥יוface his
panavH6440 →2123 times
אַ֛רְצָה[the] ground towards
ʾartzahH776 →2504 times
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּand he bowed down
vaiyishtachuH7812 →172 times
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְand he blessed
vayvarekhH1288 →330 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יוֹאָ֡בJoab
yoavH3097 →144 times
הַיּוֹם֩this day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
יָדַ֨עhe knows
yada'H3045 →945 times
עַבְדְּךָ֜servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
כִּי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מָצָ֨אתִיI have found
matzatiH4672 →455 times
חֵ֤ןfavor
chenH2580 →69 times
בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙in view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
אֲדֹנִ֣יO lord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֥הhe has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דְּבַ֥ר[the] word of
devarH1697 →1440 times
עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃servant your
avdekhH5650 →799 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 31:28Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:15–17
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- 2 Timothy 1:5
I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.
- 1 Kings 2:19
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne…
- 2 Timothy 3:15–17
Through
Ruth 2:2And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied.
it leads to
- Leviticus 23:22
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap all the way to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the…
- Leviticus 19:9
When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
- Leviticus 23:22
Through
Nehemiah 11:2And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
it leads to
- Judges 5:9
My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
- Judges 5:9
Through
Job 31:20if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:13
be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 24:13
Through
Job 29:11For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
it leads to
- Job 31:20
if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 31:20
About 2 Samuel

This page draws on Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
