2 Samuel 14 6

2 Samuel 14:6 kjv

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

2 Samuel 14:6 nkjv

Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

2 Samuel 14:6 niv

I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.

2 Samuel 14:6 esv

And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.

2 Samuel 14:6 nlt

My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.

2 Samuel 14 verses

2 Samuel 14 6 Meaning

2 Samuel 14:6 presents a parabolic narrative told by a wise woman from Tekoa to King David. In this feigned account, the woman describes having two sons who engaged in a violent quarrel in a remote location where no one could intervene. This led to one son fatally striking the other. The core meaning of the verse lies in establishing the initial details of a personal tragedy – a fratricide due to unmitigated strife – designed to parallel King David's own familial predicament involving Absalom's murder of Amnon. The details of the strife, the absence of an intervener, and the resulting death are all crafted to evoke David's sympathy and legal judgment, setting the stage for an appeal for mercy for Absalom.

2 Samuel 14 6 Context

2 Samuel chapter 14 begins with Joab, David’s military commander, noticing David’s prolonged mourning for Absalom after Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon. Absalom had fled to Geshur three years prior. Knowing David longed to bring Absalom back but was bound by the justice required by law (specifically, the Mosaic Law concerning murder), Joab devised a plan. He sent a wise woman from Tekoa to approach the king with a fictitious case. This verse (14:6) is the heart of the woman’s contrived story, serving as an allegorical parallel to the Amnon-Absalom incident. Her fabricated tale, portraying a widowed mother losing one son to fratricide and now facing the demand to surrender her sole remaining son to legal justice (execution), was carefully constructed to move David to pity and a decree that could then be leveraged to permit Absalom's return without compromising David's judicial authority or appearance of impartiality. The chapter is part of the broader narrative dealing with the consequences of David's sins, particularly the domestic turmoil and tragedies that plague his family, foreshadowing Absalom's rebellion.

2 Samuel 14 6 Word analysis

• And thy handmaid: Hebrew: wa'amateka (וַאֲמָתְךָ). The term amah (handmaid) signifies a humble, dependent status, a plea for empathy. It is used to present a sympathetic figure, often vulnerable and without powerful connections, appealing solely to the king's mercy and justice. This immediately positions the speaker as someone worthy of consideration, seeking favor from authority.
• had two sons: Hebrew: sh'teh banim (שְׁנֵי בָנִים). The focus is narrowed to a family unit, specifically two siblings, mirroring the situation of Amnon and Absalom. The narrative emphasizes the intimate family bond shattered by internal conflict.
• and they strove together: Hebrew: wa'yyirravu (וַיִּרָבוּ), from the root riv (רִיב), meaning "to contend," "to quarrel," or "to strive violently." This suggests a fierce and deep-seated conflict, not a mere accidental clash. It indicates an active and possibly premeditated animosity.
• in the field: Hebrew: ba-sadeh (בַּשָּׂדֶה). This detail is critically significant. The "field" often symbolizes a place away from observation, private, unmonitored space, and thus conducive to hidden deeds. It directly echoes the setting of Cain's murder of Abel (Gen 4:8), thereby linking this parabolic fratricide to the primordial act of sibling murder, adding gravity and ancient precedent to the story. It implies a lack of witnesses and an inability to intervene quickly.
• and there was none to part them: Hebrew: w'ên mafrīd benêhem (וְאֵין מַפְרִיד בֵּינֵיהֶם). The term mafrīd means "one who separates" or "intervenes." This emphasizes the isolated nature of the conflict and the absence of any mediating force or authority. It heightens the sense of tragedy and inevitability, implying the struggle went unchecked until its fatal conclusion. It contrasts with the king's ability to intervene in the larger realm.
• but the one smote the other: Hebrew: wayyak et ha'eḥād (וַיַּךְ אֶת הָאֶחָד), from nakah (נָכָה), meaning "to strike," often with fatal intent. This indicates a direct, intentional act of violence. It underscores the severity of the attack, making it more than just a fight; it was a deliberate, violent assault.
• and slew him: Hebrew: wayyametehū (וַיְמִתֵהוּ), from mût (מוּת), "to die" or "to cause to die." This is the explicit declaration of death, confirming the fatal outcome of the struggle. It establishes the central crime of the parable: murder, drawing a direct parallel to Absalom's killing of Amnon.

Word-Groups Analysis:

• "thy handmaid had two sons, and they strove together": Establishes the core relationship and the problem. The juxtaposition of "sons" (family) and "strove" (conflict) immediately highlights a tragic breakdown within an intimate unit, a setup designed to resonate with David's own experience of his sons Amnon and Absalom.
• "in the field, and there was none to part them": This phrase emphasizes the isolated, unmitigated nature of the conflict. The lack of an "intervener" (a parallel to David's passive approach to Absalom's prolonged exile) underscores a scenario where tragic consequences are allowed to unfold due to an absence of timely intervention, pushing David to consider his own lack of proactive intervention concerning Absalom.
• "but the one smote the other, and slew him": This climatic statement conveys the devastating outcome of the unchecked strife. It explicitly states the act of fratricide, leaving no ambiguity about the nature of the crime committed. This precise phrasing directly mirrors the fatal outcome of Amnon's encounter with Absalom's servants acting on Absalom's command.

2 Samuel 14 6 Bonus section

The rhetorical effectiveness of 2 Samuel 14:6 lies not only in its content but also in its presentation. The "wise woman" delivers the narrative in a manner that elicits maximum sympathy from David, beginning with her status as a "handmaid" and widow. Her artful weaving of the tragic details aims to bypass any immediate suspicion of a deeper agenda and appeals directly to the king's renowned sense of justice and compassion. The detail about the "field" would also resonate with ancient legal practices where private property disputes, and potentially crimes, occurring away from town elders, could be difficult to adjudicate without witnesses. This verse highlights Joab's acute understanding of King David's psychology—his deep affections, his adherence to the law, and his recent grief and guilt over Absalom's banishment. The very act of the king listening intently to such a narrative, which clearly parallels his own sorrow, underscores David’s accessibility and his commitment to dispensing justice, even to the humble. This encounter sets the stage for David to be subtly maneuvered into an act of compassion that would bring his son home.

2 Samuel 14 6 Commentary

2 Samuel 14:6 is the pivotal verse in the "wise woman of Tekoa's" strategic narrative, designed by Joab to influence King David's decision regarding Absalom's return from exile. The verse succinctly yet powerfully outlines a familiar human tragedy: sibling rivalry culminating in fratricide, executed in isolation and without intervention. The detail "in the field" deliberately echoes the first biblical murder of Cain and Abel, lending a primordial weight and recognizing a specific typology of violent crime often associated with an absence of witnesses or authority. The emphasis on "none to part them" skillfully presents a situation of helpless fatality, subtly contrasting it with the king's supreme authority to intervene in legal matters and lives. The carefully chosen language about the intense "striving" and the brutal "smiting" and "slaying" establishes the clear and grievous nature of the crime, demanding justice under Mosaic Law, thus creating the dilemma the woman wishes David to resolve in her parabolic case. This verse functions as a rhetorical tool, playing on David's conscience, legal duty, and paternal emotions to prepare him to make a decision that would eventually lead to Absalom's temporary restoration. The brilliance of the ruse lies in its appeal to justice, which the woman then attempts to redirect towards mercy.