Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 14
Joab had not wanted David to know that he (Joab) had sent the woman. However, David realised it. He asked the woman whether, in reality, she was speaking on Joab’s behalf.
We see the woman’s great skill in how she answered David. She was not afraid of David; and she was not ashamed of what she had spoken. She told David clearly that Joab had sent her. She even explained that Joab had told her what to say.
The woman believed that Joab was right to do this. It was necessary to change David’s mind about this matter, and so to bring his son Absalom back to Israel. For three years, David had been refusing to allow Absalom’s return – ever since Absalom killed his brother Amnon. Now, however, David must permit it, because Absalom was the right person to be Israel’s next king after David. That seems to have been Joab’s beliefs at this time – and the woman and many other people agreed. Absalom was popular in Israel.
By his question, David was accusing the woman: she was pretending something so that she could change his opinions. However in her reply, the woman said that David’s question actually proved her to be right. She had said that David had wisdom like one of the angels, God’s special servants in heaven (verse 17). Now David had proved it: he knew even about her private conversation with Joab. So David was wrong to think that either she or Joab could convince him to change his mind. David himself would decide about this matter, with the great wisdom that God had given to him. That was how the woman persuaded David.
Next part: David agrees to Absalom's return (2 Samuel 14:21-23)
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