2 Samuel 14:32
ESV
Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still." Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’"
NIV
Absalom said to Joab, "Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!" ’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."
NASB
Absalom answered Joab, 'Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, 'Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.'?’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.'
CSB
"Look," Absalom explained to Joab, "I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? I’d be better off if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king. If I am guilty, let him kill me."
NLT
And Absalom replied, 'Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.'
KJV
And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.
NKJV
And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”
What does 2 Samuel 14:32 mean?
David's failure to fully reconcile with Absalom after pardoning him has left Absalom bitter and jaded. David allowed Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem without a death sentence. Yet David's continued refusal to see Absalom has left his son in limbo between freedom and exile (1 Samuel 14:23–24).Joab hasn't spoken to Absalom since his return, probably at David's explicit command. Absalom needs Joab to help him reconcile with his father. When multiple messages are ignored, Absalom sets Joab's barley on fire (2 Samuel 14:28–30).
Though Absalom was able to return to Jerusalem, his ban from family and court life is no better than exile to a foreign country. In a fit of melodrama, he tells Joab he should either be welcomed by David or executed for his crimes. Absalom's response carries a sense of challenge: almost daring David to convict his son of murder.
Absalom is far from a good and reasonable person. But David's unwillingness to fully reconcile puts Absalom in a terrible position: neither being held accountable for his crime nor forgiven for it. Parents should be careful not to pile resentment or withhold their acceptance of children for events which supposedly have been forgiven.
