2 Samuel 14:16
ESV
For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’
NIV
Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’
NASB
For the king will listen, to save his slave from the hand of the man who would eliminate both me and my son from the inheritance of God.’
CSB
The king will surely listen in order to keep his servant from the grasp of this man who would eliminate both me and my son from God’s inheritance.
NLT
and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us.
KJV
For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
NKJV
For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’
What does 2 Samuel 14:16 mean?
The wise woman, Joab's actress, seems to backtrack. She followed Joab's instruction by pretending to be a widow whose son killed his brother. She came to ask David to pardon her remaining son, so her clansmen won't execute him and take away a father's chance for a legacy (2 Samuel 14:1–7). Once David agreed, the woman revealed the story was for David's benefit. If he could forgive her son, surely he could forgive his son Absalom for killing his brother Amnon (2 Samuel 14:8–14).But now she seems to affirm that her original story is true. She even tells David she knew he'd rule in her favor (2 Samuel 14:17). "Deliver" is the same word she used when she said, "There was no one to separate them" (2 Samuel 14:6). She's asking David to save her because no one saved her sons. It's unclear why she's talking this way although there are at least two possibilities:
She may be sticking to her original story to protect herself. Although she's obliquely mentioned David's relationship to Absalom, she hasn't revealed that her story is a lie. If David finds out she's deceived him, he might get angry. The other option is that she is forwarding Joab's intent by encouraging David to make the decision to bring back Absalom. She praises David's goodness and his understanding of the importance of heritage, which, apparently, Joab assumes belongs to Absalom.
David's reaction suggests the former. He asks her if Joab is behind it all. She will agree with fawning language, as if flattering David will deflect his anger (2 Samuel 14:20). David doesn't care. The matter is between him and Joab, and he decides Joab's right. He tells his general to bring back Absalom from exile, but not to bring him before David (2 Samuel 14:21–24).
