measure be on the side of the princely offender. He had been provoked beyond endurance by a dastardly

outrage, which the king would not punish because the criminal was his favorite. To the popular, especially

the Eastern mind, the avenger of Tamar might appear in the light of a hero rather than of an offender.

Besides, Absalom had everything about him to win the multitude. Without any bodily blemish from head to

foot, he was by far the finest-looking man in Israel. Common report had it that, when obliged once a year, on

account of its thickness, to have his long flowing hair cut, it was put, as a matter of curiosity, in the scales,

and found amounting to the almost incredible weight of twenty shekels.7 How well able he was to ingratiate

himself by his manners, the after history sufficiently shows. Such was the man who had been left in

banishment these three years, while Amnon had been allowe d - so far as the king was concerned - to go

Whether knowledge of this popular sympathy or other motives had induced Joab's interference, there seems

no doubt that he had repeatedly interceded for Absalom;  8 until at last he felt fully assured that "the heart of

the king was against  9 Absalom" (14:1).

In these circumstances Joab resorted to a not uncommon Eastern device. At Tekoah, about two hours south

of Bethlehem, lived "a wise woman," specially capable of aiding Joab in a work which, as we judge, also

commanded her sympathy. Arrayed in mourning, she appeared before the king to claim his interference and

protection. Her two sons - so she said - had quarreled; and as no one was present to interpose, the one had

killed the other. And now the whole family sought to slay the murderer!

True, he was guilty - but what mattered the "avenging of blood" to her, when thereby she would lose her

only remaining son, and so her family become extinct? Would the death of the one bring back the life of the

other - "gather up the water that was spilt"? Was it needful that she should be deprived of both her sons?

Thus urged, the king promised his interference on her behalf. But this was only the introduction to what the

woman really wished to say. First, she pleaded, that if it were wrong thus to arrest the avenging of blood,

she would readily take the guilt upon herself (ver. 9). Following up this plea, she next sought and obtained

the king's assurance upon oath, that there should be no further "destroying" me rely for the sake of

avenging blood (ver.11). Evidently the king had now yielded in principle what Joab had so long sought. It

only remained to make clever application of the king's concession. This the woman did; and, while still

holding by the figment of her story (vers. 16, 17), she plied the king with such considerations, as that he was

always acting in a public capacity; that lost life could not be restored; that pardon was God like, since He

"does not take away a soul, but deviseth thoughts not to drive away one driven away;"10 and, lastly, that, to

her and to all, the king was like the Angel of the Covenant, whose "word" was ever "for rest."

David could have no further difficulty in understanding the real meaning of the woman's mission.

Accordingly, Joab obtained permission to bring back Absalom, but with this condition, that he was not to

appear in the royal presence. We regard it as evidence of the prince's continued disfavor, that Joab

afterwards twice refused to come to him, or to take a message t o the king. It was a grave mistake to leave

such a proud, violent spirit to brood for two years over supposed wrongs. Absalom now acted towards

Joab like one wholly reckless - and the message which Joab finally undertook to deliver was in the same

spirit. At last a reconciliation took place between the king and his son - but only outwardly, not really, for

already Absalom had other schemes in view.

Once more we notice here the consequences of David's fatal weakness, as manifest in his irresolution and

half-measures. Morally paralyzed, so to speak, in consequence of his own guilt, his position sensibly and

increasingly weakened in popular estimation, that series of disasters, which had formed the burden of God's

predicted judgments, now followed in the natural sequence of events. If even before his return from Geshur

Absalom had been a kind of popular hero, his presence for two years in Jerusalem in semi -banishment must

have increased the general sympathy. Whatever his enemies might say against him, he was a splendid man -

every inch a prince, brave, warm-hearted, and true to those whom he loved - witness even the circumstance,

told about Jerusalem, that he had called that beautiful child, his only daughter, after his poor dishonored

sister (2 Samuel 14:27), while, unlike an Oriental, he cared not to bring his sons prominently forward.11