Question 1

What is happening in this story with David, Joab, and Absalom?

Accepted Answer

This chapter tells how Joab sees that David still cares deeply for his banished son Absalom, who had killed his brother and fled. Instead of going to David directly, Joab brings a wise woman from Tekoah and gives her a story to tell. She pretends to be a widow whose one remaining son is about to be killed by her family as a revenger of blood. When David promises to protect her son, she gently shows him that he is not doing the same for his own banished son. This leads David to allow Absalom to return, though not yet fully restored.

Question 2

Who is the wise woman of Tekoah and why is she important here?

Accepted Answer

The wise woman of Tekoah is not named, but she is described as wise and able to speak carefully. Joab chooses her because she can tell a moving story and also apply it to David without openly accusing him. She pretends to be a long-time mourner and tells David about her two sons, one killing the other, and the family wanting to kill the survivor. Through this story she draws out David’s sense of mercy. Then she turns the lesson toward David’s own banished son, helping him see his inconsistency. God uses her wisdom and courage as a tool to move David toward reconciliation.

Question 3

What does it mean that God devises means that his banished be not expelled?

Accepted Answer

When the woman says God “devises means, that his banished be not expelled from him,” she is speaking about God’s heart to restore people who are far away. Like water spilled on the ground, life cannot be taken back once it is gone, so there is no point in endless revenge. Instead, she says God finds ways to bring back those who are cut off, rather than casting them away forever. Her words push David to see that if God works toward restoration, a king should also look for a way to bring back his banished son instead of leaving the break in the family as it is.

Question 4

Why did Joab use a story instead of speaking to David directly?

Accepted Answer

Joab likely knew David was torn inside: he loved Absalom but had not acted to bring him home. A direct demand might have felt like pressure or might have been refused. By sending the wise woman with a story about her two sons, Joab let David judge a similar case first. Once David clearly chose mercy for the woman’s son, it became easier to show that the same mercy should apply to Absalom. The story helped David see his own heart and actions more clearly. Joab’s method shows human shrewdness being used to push toward reconciliation, though his motives also include political concerns.

Question 5

Why did David bring Absalom back but refuse to see his face at first?

Accepted Answer

David tells Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but then orders that Absalom must stay in his own house and not see the king’s face. This shows that David is willing to end the exile, but is not ready to give full acceptance or restore Absalom openly. The relationship is only partly healed. Absalom lives near the king for two years without seeing him, which stirs bitterness and frustration. This half-reconciliation warns us that drawing someone close without real heart restoration can leave wounds unhealed and may lead to more trouble later, as the story that follows will show.

Question 6

What is the meaning of the woman’s picture of water spilled on the ground?

Accepted Answer

The woman tells David, “We must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.” She is reminding him that life is short and once it is gone, it cannot be recovered, just like spilled water cannot be put back into the vessel. Her point is that if people keep holding onto hurt and revenge, they waste the time they have left. Since death is certain, she urges David to act with mercy while he still can, especially toward his own son. It is a gentle push to choose reconciliation rather than let the break continue till death.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about justice and mercy in God’s eyes?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that justice and mercy both matter, but mercy reflects God’s heart in a special way. Absalom was guilty of killing his brother, so the law would call for judgment. Yet through the woman’s words, David is reminded that God does not simply throw away the banished but works out ways to bring them back. The king’s promise that “not one hair” of the woman’s son would fall shows mercy winning over the demand for blood revenge. In the same way, David is urged to treat his own son not only as a criminal but as a son who might be restored.

Question 8

How can this story about Absalom’s return speak to family conflict today?

Accepted Answer

This story shows how tangled family sin and hurt can be. There is real wrong involved, but also deep love and longing. It warns that avoiding a problem or offering only half-forgiveness, like David did by bringing Absalom back yet not seeing him, does not heal the break. It also shows that wise, gentle words, like those of the woman of Tekoah, can help people see where they need to show mercy. For families today, it points to the need for honest dealing with sin, a desire for true restoration, and a heart that is willing to reflect God’s way of seeking the banished.

2 Samuel 14:1

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

Absalom’s Return to Jerusalem

The Woman of Tekoa

Absalom Is Recalled

Absalom Reconciled to David

Absalom’s Return to Jerusalem

The Woman of Tekoa

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2 Samuel 14:1

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

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Absalom’s Return to Jerusalem

The Woman of Tekoa

Absalom Is Recalled

Absalom Reconciled to David

Absalom’s Return to Jerusalem

The Woman of Tekoa

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