Daily Tanach Monday Shmuel 2 Chapter 14: A plan is devised to return Avshalom to the palace

1.      Dovid advises the woman:

• Dovid tells the woman that he will take care of the issue: The king responded to the woman that she should go home and that he will give instructions regarding her [i.e. I will instruct your relatives not to touch him and kill him[1] being that there were no witnesses to the murder[2]].
• The woman rejects his response: The Tekoite woman said to the king, “My master the king, the sin is upon me and on the house of my father, and the king and his chair is clean.” [I.e. What she really meant to say is that she doesn’t really trust what the king is saying and that the blood of her son will be on his hands, however she stated it in the opposite way out of respect to the king.[3]]
• The king swears and reassures her that nothing will happen to her son: The king responded to her saying, that she should bring to him whoever is the one that is speaking to her [and threatening to kill her son] and he will no longer be able to touch her [or him, as I will instruct him not to do so[4]]. She responded to the king, “Please my king, remember Hashem your G-d [who has warned you in the Torah to try to save the life of the murderer from the vengeance of his Goal Hadam[5], and swear by His name that no one is allowed to harm my son[6]] as there are many relatives who can fill the position of the Goal Hadam to kill my son [and hence it does not suffice to simply instruct one person[7]].” The king responded and said, “I swear by the life of G-d that not one hair will fall from your sons head.”

2.      The woman confesses the plot to Dovid:

• The woman then said to Dovid, “Let your maidservant speak with my master the king,” [in order to hint to him that her entire story is a mere metaphor for him to learn how to act with his son Avshalom[8]] and he responded that she could speak. The woman then told Dovid as follows: “Why did you suspect the Jewish people [of doing something so wrong as killing someone even though there were no witnesses[9]]. Now, [in truth my entire story was made up as a metaphor regarding your two sons[10]] and now don’t tell me that what you answered me was a mistake and therefore you will continue to not allow the one who you cast away [i.e. your son Avshalom] to return to you. In the end of the day we all die [and hence what Avshalom did should not be viewed so severe that you have to kill him even though there were no witnesses in which case the Torah does not allow one to kill him]. Death is like water that has went down the slope and is no longer gathered [i.e. and thus if you decide to kill Avshalom you will no longer see him, and likewise by you killing him it will not bring back the soul of your other son[11]]. G-d will save no one from death [or punishment[12]] and therefore you should think of an idea of how not to cast away your son. Now, I have [in essence] come to speak to the king my master these words [that he should return his son Avshalom] as the nation instilled fear into me not to speak of this matter directly and therefore I mentioned it in a metaphor of a story, as perhaps through this metaphor I will get the king to do my bidding. As I said to myself, when the king agrees to save me and my child from the vengeance of the relative who desire to remove me and my son from the inheritance of G-d [perhaps he will then also rethink his position with his own son Avshalom and will bring him back into the palace]. So, my master, let the words of your maidservant be of comfort for you, as my master the king is like an angel of G-d who hears good and evil, and Hashem your G-d will be with you.”
• Dovid requests to know who was behind sending her to him: The king then responded to the woman and said to her, “please do not refuse me that which I will ask from you.” The woman responded, “please let my master the king speak.” So, the king said to her, “Is the hand of Yoav behind all this?” The woman responded, “I swear by the life of my master the king that everything the king has said is correct, as indeed it was your servant Yoav who instructed me all this and told your maidservant what to say and Yoav did so in order so the matter reach the king regarding his son. Now I see that my master the king is as wise as an angel of G-d and knows everything that’s happening on the earth [as he figured out that Yoav was behind this].”

[1] Radak 14:8

[2] Pirush Rav Yeshaya 14:8

[3] Rashi and Radak 14:9; See however Metzudos Dovid 14:9 for an alternative interpretation.

[4] Radak 14:10

[5] Rashi 14:11

[6] Radak 14:11

[7] Rashi and Radak ibid

[8] Radak 14:12

[9] Rashi 14:13

[10] Rashi 14:13 

[11] See Metzudos Dovid 14:14 and Pirush Rav Yosef Karo 14:14

[12] See Metzudos Dovid 14:14