2 Samuel 14:1-33: A message for David from a Prophetess

Another parable changes David’s life. This time it is not a prophet who tells it but a woman. She comes before David, pleading for the life of her son. He has argued with his brother and killed him. Now the whole clan seeks to kill him, leaving the woman with no children and her husband with no heirs. David grants his protection to her son, and (at her prompting) even swears by the Lord that the son will not be harmed.

Then the woman turns the tables. Once more the story is not about someone else—a man with a lamb or a woman with a son—but about David. The woman urges the king to be consistent. If he will show forgiveness and mercy to her son then he should show them to his own son Absalom and bring him back from exile. David rightly sees the hand of Joab in the woman’s story, but he relents and tells Joab to send word to Absalom to return to Jerusalem.

However, even though Absalom is handsome (with amazingly long and thick hair), popular, and has beautiful children, David will not allow Absalom in his presence. That changes when Absalom gets Joab’s attention (by burning Joab’s field) and Joab persuades David to receive Absalom at court.

Prayer

God of forgiveness, teach us how to forgive.

DR. GARY HOLLOWAY

Gary Holloway is Executive Director of the World Convention. Holding degrees from Freed-Hardeman, Harding, The University of Texas, and Emory University, he has written or edited thirty books, including (with Douglas Foster) Renewing God’s World: A Concise Global History of the Stone-Campbell Movement from ACU Press. He is married to Deb Rogers Holloway.