2 Samuel 14:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →She turns the case on David, asking why he withholds from his own banished son the mercy he just granted a stranger.
What Does 2 Samuel 14:13 Mean?
Now the woman springs the point: by sparing her son, David has condemned his own treatment of Absalom, his banished one. The very judgment he made for a stranger exposes the inconsistency of leaving his son in exile.
Like Nathan's earlier 'thou art the man,' her words hold a mirror to the king. We readily extend mercy to others while withholding it from those nearest us. The verse presses every heart to ask where we have shut out one whom we, of all people, are bound to bring home.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 14:13
What does 2 Samuel 14:13 mean?
She turns the case on David, asking why he withholds from his own banished son the mercy he just granted a stranger.