2 Samuel 14:6 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 14:6 mean?

2 Samuel 14:6 tells how a woman, speaking to King David, describes her situation: she had two sons who fought in a field, and with no one to separate them, one killed the other. The verse sets up a story of personal tragedy and conflict between siblings, highlighting the helplessness of the mother.

This verse is part of a conversation where a woman from Tekoa, following Joab’s instructions, brings a made-up case to King David to persuade him about a real issue in David’s own family. The woman’s story is meant to mirror David’s situation with his sons, using the image of two sons (בֵּן, ben) fighting alone in a field (שָׂדֶה, sadeh) and one being killed (נָכָה, nakah; מוּת, muth) to appeal to the king’s sense of justice and mercy.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 14:6

• "Handmaid" (שִׁפְחָה, shiphchah): This word means a female servant or maid, emphasizing the woman’s humble status as she addresses the king.
• "Part" (נָצַל, natsal): This word means to rescue or deliver. The verse stresses that there was no one to intervene or save the sons from harming each other, underlining the isolation and inevitability of the tragedy.
• "Smote" (נָכָה, nakah) and "slew" (מוּת, muth): "Nakah" means to strike or hit, and "muth" means to die or kill. The use of both words shows the progression from a violent act to its fatal outcome.

Why 2 Samuel 14:6 matters

• The verse uses the woman’s story as a parable to reflect King David’s own family troubles, especially the conflict between his sons Amnon and Absalom.
• The detail that no one was there to "part" or rescue the sons highlights the sense of helplessness and the consequences when conflict goes unchecked.
• Understanding the original words for "smote" and "slew" shows the seriousness of the violence and the finality of the outcome, making the mother’s plea more poignant.