2 Samuel 14:12

2Sa 14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak [one] word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

Ver. 12. And he said, Say on.] {See Trapp on "2Sa 14:5"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 14:12-13. Then the woman said — Having gained this point, she begs leave to say one word more, which being granted, she immediately proceeds to expostulate with the king upon his own conduct, and unkindness to the people of God, in not pardoning his own son, and bringing him back from exile. Wherefore then — If thou wouldest not permit the avengers of blood to molest me, or to destroy my son, who are but two persons; how unreasonable is it that thou shouldest proceed in thy endeavours to avenge Amnon’s blood upon Absalom, whose death would be grievous to the whole commonwealth of Israel, all whose eyes are upon him as the heir of the crown, and a wise, and valiant, and amiable person, unhappy only in this one act of killing Amnon, which was done upon a high provocation, and whereof thou thyself didst give the occasion by permitting Amnon to go unpunished? The king doth speak as one that is faulty — By thy word, and promise, and oath, given to me for my son, thou condemnest thyself for not allowing the same equity toward thy own son. It is true, Absalom’s case, as we have observed, was widely different from that which she had supposed. But David was too well affected to him to remark that difference, and was more desirous than she could be to apply that favourable judgment to his own son which he had given concerning hers.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. Let thine handmaid, &c.] The great object of her errand has still to be effected. Firmly and clearly, but yet to all appearance incidentally, she argues from the case of her son to that of Absalom.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the woman said, let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my Lord the king,.... Having gained her point, and gotten a decree from him confirmed by an oath, that her son though he had killed his brother should not die; she proceeds to accommodate the parable, and apply it to the case of Absalom, and improve it in his favour:

and he said, say on; gave her leave to say what she had further to observe to him; see Luk 7:40.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Having at last obtained what she wanted, the king’s oath that her son should not die, she proceeds to the case of Absalom. The meaning of 2Sa 14:13 may be paraphrased thus: “If you have done right as regards my son, how is it that you harbor such a purpose of vengeance against Absalom as to keep him, one of God’s people, an outcast in a pagan country, far from the worship of the God of Israel? Upon your own showing you are guilty of a great fault in not allowing Absalom to return.”

The king doth speak ... - literally, “And from the king speaking this word (this sentence of absolution to my son) he is as one guilty; i. e. the sentence you have pronounced in favor of my son condemns your own conduct toward Absalom.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Having obliged the king by his oath in her supposed case, she now throws off the veil, and begins to apply this parable to the king’s and kingdom’s present case.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

your servant

To show respect for the king the woman refers to herself as "your servant."

speak a further word to

"talk about something else to." The woman is requesting to speak to the king about another topic.

Speak on

This is an idiom. The king was giving her permission to continue speaking. AT: "You may speak to me" (See: Idiom)

Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God?

The woman asks this rhetorical question to rebuke David for how he has treated Absalom. This question can be written as a statement. AT: "What you have just said proved that you did wrong." (See: Rhetorical Question)

the king is like someone who is guilty

The woman compares the king to someone who is guilty to suggest that he is guilty without saying it directly. AT: "the king has declared himself guilty"

his banished son

"his son whom he banished"

For we all must die, and we are like water spilled on the ground ... up again

Here the woman speaks of a person dying as if they were water being spilled on the ground. AT: "We all must die, and after we die we cannot be brought back to life again" (See: Simile)

God ... finds a way for those who were driven away to be restored

The woman is implying that David should bring his son back to himself. This can be stated clearly. AT: "God brings back someone whom he has driven away and you should do the same for your son" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

people of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.