2 Samuel 14:9-11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, &c.— The king having told the woman that she might return to her house, and leave the care of her business to him, she adds, with great address, that if she had pressed his majesty to any thing in itself unjust, or any way misinformed him, or misrepresented the state of the case, she wished all the iniquity of that guilt, or misrepresentation, might fall upon her own head, and upon her family: My lord, O king, &c. The king then bade her, 2 Samuel 14:10 if any molested her further, to bring them before him, and he would take care to stop any further proceedings against her. She then begged, 2 Samuel 14:11 that, in making that promise to stay the avenger of blood from causing any further destruction in her family, he would remember the Lord his God; i.e. remember that he made that promise in the presence of God; drawing him thus distantly and insensibly into the obligation of an oath; and her address had its effect: as the Lord liveth, said he, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. Houbigant thinks that the woman in the ninth verse insinuates, that she is less concerned for her own son and her family, than for the son and the family of the king.

2 Samuel 14:9-11

9 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.

10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.