2 Samuel 14:5

2Sa 14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I [am] indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

Ver. 5. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee?] Kings and princes should courteously admit, patiently hear, and readily help their suppliant subjects. Antonius the emperor was, for this good property, surnamed Pius; Titus, the darling of mankind; Trajan is much renowned in story for this, that being mounted to go against the enemy in battle, he alighted from his horse, only to do justice to a poor woman, that cried out unto him. {a}

I am indeed a widow woman.] And therefore in a calamitous condition: especially if thou knewest all. At mulier vidua sum.

{a} Ael. Spart.

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_14:5-20

And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman.

The parable of the woman of Tekoa

The contrast between this parable and the one preceding it is very great. The parable of the ewe-lamb was spoken of by a prophet inspired by God. This one was spoken by a theatrical persons at the instigation of a man of the world, one who, though thoroughly unprincipled, could read human character and discern human motives through a very small crevice. The parable of Nathan was the introduction to a scorching reproof of Davids iniquity, the parable of the Tekoan is full of fulsome flattery. The prophets parable was uttered to induce repentance in David; this one had for its end only the promotion of Joabs schemes of self-interest.

I. The argument of the parable.

1. That those who grant mercy abroad should first begin at home. The first reason which the woman urges why David should forgive his son is the willingness with which he would have forgiven hers. A king who is merciful to his subjects is inconsistent with himself if he is not forgiving towards the members of his own family.

2. That enmity ought to die before those who are at enmity die. For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again (2Sa_14:14). If Absalom were to die before a reconciliation had taken place, the fathers heart would be deeply grieved; and if he himself were to die before his sons return to favour he would go down to his grave mourning the estrangement.

3. The Divine Fathers example in relation to His banished ones.

II. Its immediate and remote results. The immediate result was the recall of Absalom without outward reconciliation. Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face (2Sa_14:24). Evils arose from this half-measure. Joab was disappointed, and Absalom was irritated.

Lessons:

1. That the most worthless characters sometimes have the best pleaders. We find this the case occasionally in our law courts. Men with no character, but lacking nothing else, with money and influence in abundance, can have the benefit of the most skilful barristers to bring them out of the grip of the law.

2. That imaginary narratives of human life have most influence when they find a counterpart in our own experience. The power of a story may he very great even when it contains nothing in it that has any likeness to anything that has happened to ourselves.

3. That those who are conscious of having committed great sins are not fit to deal with other offenders. The sin of David included the crimes of both his sons, and the consciousness of this made him weak in purpose, and unsteady in his dealings with them.

4. To restore to favour unconditionally is a sin against the person forgiven. (A London Minister.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hebrew, a widow woman.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 5. I am indeed a widow woman] It is very possible that the principal facts mentioned here were real, and that Joab found out a person whose circumstances bore a near resemblance to that which he wished to represent.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And the king said unto her, what aileth thee?.... Or what is thy case? What is the condition, and what the circumstances, that thou art in, which require help and assistance? intimating that he was ready to grant it on knowledge thereof; however, he was ready to hear what she had to say:

and she answered, I am indeed a widow woman; of a truth a widow, as the Targum; she was really one, a widow indeed, as in Ti1 5:3; not one that was separated from her husband, he being alive, or divorced from him on any account; and therefore she adds:

and mine husband is dead; and has been a long time; this she said to move the pity and compassion of the king, who, as the supreme magistrate in God's stead, was a Father of the fatherless, and the judge of the widow.

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

Dead. Some conclude from ver. 16, that this is a true history; but it appears rather, that it was only a parable, (ver. 19.; Calmet) invented by Joab. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

I am indeed a widow woman; one of them who most need thy compassion and assistance, and whom thou art by God’s law obliged in a singular manner to protect and relieve.

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

Widow - One of them who most need thy compassion, and whom thou art by God's law obliged in a singular manner to relieve.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

In truth, I am a widowed woman.אֲבָל means "In truth."

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.