“The king asked, ‘Did Yo’av put you up to this?’ The woman answered, ‘As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo’av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say.'”-2 Samuel 14:19
Finally, King David comes to his senses after hearing the story the clever woman of Tekoa told him, and asks her…
“Did Yo’av put you up to this?”
The woman answers truthfully, “Yes.”
I imagine it wasn’t too difficult for David to put two and two together.
Think about it for a sec.
The population of Israel totaled around 5 to 6 million people at this time.
How in the world would some random common citizen gain entry to the King’s front door?
Only a confidant from David’s inner circle would be able to arrange such a thing.
Not only that.
How in the world would a commoner have any idea about all the inner conflicts happening within David’s family?
And why would this stranger create some make-believe story to defend Absalom, someone she didn’t even know?
So not only was David aware that Joab had arranged for the woman of Tekoa to come to him…
He realized Joab had instigated the whole thing.
The woman flatters David and praises him for recognizing that Joab was the schemer.
Realizing he had been had, David calls for Yo’av and orders him to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem.
In a grand display of oriental hospitality, Yo’av responds by prostrating himself before the king.
Yet, David couldn’t have been too thrilled about this decision.
He likely felt strong-armed, having been tricked into bringing Absalom home by the ruling in favor of the widow’s son.
He had also made a vow in Adonai’s Name, so he was trapped.
But more than that, David was probably wondering, why was Yo’av so motivated to bring Absalom back home in the first place?
What was going on in that devious mind of his military general?
Then it also hit him.
Joab was part of the movement gaining popularity that wanted to make Absalom the next king.
Though David agreed to bring Absalom home without a trial for Amnon’s murder, he wasn’t ready to face him.
Not just yet anyway.
Absalom was forbidden from living in or near David’s royal court.
The exile may have ended, but reconciliation was still a long way off.
So after three years, Avishalom finally returned.
But he had to go through the back door.
There’s a significant takeaway to be extracted from this.
Because of our iniquity, we too are like Absalom.
We are separated from God, His son, and the Holy City.
Remember, all the kings of Israel were called sons of God.
But, there is one way we are NOT like Absalom.
We now have access to not only the king’s royal court…
But to the Holy Place itself through accepting the sacrifice of Yeshua.
We don’t have to return through some back door, hanging our heads in shame.
We can approach the king knowing we’ve been made clean and that our sins have been forgiven.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“But now in Messiah Yeshua
ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh
by the blood of Messiah.”
— Ephesians 2:13
“Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Yeshua,
By a new and living way,
which he hath consecrated for us,
through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest
over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith…”
— Hebrews 10:19–22
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
— Hebrews 9:12
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