2 Samuel 14:9
ESV
And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father 's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless."
NIV
But the woman from Tekoa said to him, "Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt."
NASB
The woman of Tekoa said to the king, 'My lord, the king, the guilt is on me and my father’s house, but the king and his throne are guiltless.'
CSB
Then the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord the king, may any blame be on me and my father’s family, and may the king and his throne be innocent."
NLT
Oh, thank you, my lord the king,' the woman from Tekoa replied. 'If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.'
KJV
And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.
NKJV
And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.”
What does 2 Samuel 14:9 mean?
A woman has asked to overrule several cultural norms, going to King David to settle a domestic dispute. She says she's a widow and one of her sons has killed the other. Her clan wants to execute her remaining son. If they do, a relative will take her husband's land, and her husband will have no legacy (2 Samuel 14:4–7).David tells her to wait for her decision (2 Samuel 14:8). The clansmen are acting according to custom and the Mosaic law by demanding her son's life (Numbers 35:30–31). But the clan has nothing to gain by being merciful. The only way her son can be saved is if David risks alienating a town by contradicting Mosaic law and overriding the elders who first heard the case. Although Saul was king before him, David is the first king of a truly unified Israel. Before him, the Israelites lived for over four centuries as tribes, clans, and cities. Even though God chose him to be king (1 Samuel 16:12–13), David never demanded allegiance; he always waited to be invited (2 Samuel 2:4; 5:3).
Despite the weight of custom, law, and history, the woman says she can't wait. She needs him to decide if her son is to live. Yet there is no son. The tale is a ruse orchestrated by David's military commander, Joab. David's son Absalom went into exile three years prior after murdering his brother (2 Samuel 13:29, 37–39). Joab wants David to see the situation from a different angle and convince David to bring Absalom home (2 Samuel 14:1–3).
David doesn't know this. He gives the "widow" a little more. He tells her that if any of her clansmen say anything to her before he's made his decision, they're to come to him (2 Samuel 14:10). She presses harder. Can't he just decide now? He does. Her son is pardoned (2 Samuel 14:11).
The actress has him where she wants him. She reveals that his decision condemns him. David has agreed to pardon a man who killed his brother. So why does he leave his own son in exile? David concedes her point, but he also realizes Joab is behind her entire production (2 Samuel 14:18–19).
