The king, approached by the widow, listens to her plight, foreshadowing deeper themes of mercy that resonate throughout 2 Samuel.
“The king said to her, ‘What is your trouble?’ And she answered, ‘Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.’” (v.5) In this scene, King David, who ruled over Israel between approximately 1010 BC and 970 BC, meets a woman who has come before him with a petition. The verse describes the king’s immediate compassion and concern as he asks her to share her distress. This moment underscores David’s role not only as Israel’s ruler but also as one who is meant to uphold justice and mercy. The woman, identified earlier in the chapter as from Tekoa, has arrived at the king’s presence prepared with a story meant to catch his attention. Tekoa, located roughly ten miles south of Jerusalem in the Judean hill country, was known for its strategic positioning and agricultural significance in ancient times.
“And she answered, ‘Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.’” (v.5) Here, the woman explains that she has suffered the loss of her husband. Widows in the biblical era often faced significant hardships, lacking the protective covering of a husband in patriarchal society. By placing her situation before David, she hopes to stir the king's sense of righteousness and kindle his willingness to help those who have no other recourse. This highlights the ongoing theme in Scripture of God’s concern for the vulnerable (James 1:27 describes how believers are to look after widows). King David, despite his own flawed humanity, points forward as an ancestor to Jesus Christ, who would demonstrate the ultimate expression of compassion in the New Testament (Luke 7:11-15).
The woman’s appeal offers a glimpse into the manner in which grievances were brought before the king for adjudication. By describing herself as a widow, she signals a desperate need for David’s intervention—an intervention reminiscent of the divine justice that the Old Testament repeatedly underscores. While this specific verse does not yet divulge the full unfolding of the woman's request, it lays the foundation for how King David listens to the needy and administers judgment within the kingdom. It also mirrors the truth found throughout the Bible that the Lord Almighty is a defender of those who cannot defend themselves.
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2 Samuel 14:5 meaning
“The king said to her, ‘What is your trouble?’ And she answered, ‘Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.’” (v.5) In this scene, King David, who ruled over Israel between approximately 1010 BC and 970 BC, meets a woman who has come before him with a petition. The verse describes the king’s immediate compassion and concern as he asks her to share her distress. This moment underscores David’s role not only as Israel’s ruler but also as one who is meant to uphold justice and mercy. The woman, identified earlier in the chapter as from Tekoa, has arrived at the king’s presence prepared with a story meant to catch his attention. Tekoa, located roughly ten miles south of Jerusalem in the Judean hill country, was known for its strategic positioning and agricultural significance in ancient times.
“And she answered, ‘Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.’” (v.5) Here, the woman explains that she has suffered the loss of her husband. Widows in the biblical era often faced significant hardships, lacking the protective covering of a husband in patriarchal society. By placing her situation before David, she hopes to stir the king's sense of righteousness and kindle his willingness to help those who have no other recourse. This highlights the ongoing theme in Scripture of God’s concern for the vulnerable (James 1:27 describes how believers are to look after widows). King David, despite his own flawed humanity, points forward as an ancestor to Jesus Christ, who would demonstrate the ultimate expression of compassion in the New Testament (Luke 7:11-15).
The woman’s appeal offers a glimpse into the manner in which grievances were brought before the king for adjudication. By describing herself as a widow, she signals a desperate need for David’s intervention—an intervention reminiscent of the divine justice that the Old Testament repeatedly underscores. While this specific verse does not yet divulge the full unfolding of the woman's request, it lays the foundation for how King David listens to the needy and administers judgment within the kingdom. It also mirrors the truth found throughout the Bible that the Lord Almighty is a defender of those who cannot defend themselves.