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Chapter 14 records Joabs efforts to get David and Absalom back together. To do this, Joab seeks the help of a "woman of great wisdom" whose name is not known but who was from Tekoah, a wilderness S-E of Bethlehem, sometimes know as the Wilderness of Judah. She had two talents that served her well for this task. She was an excellent actress and she was from such a desolate spot that David did not know her for she was out of the jurisdiction of the courts, thus, was allowed to come and plead her case before the King.
Notice her story, (parable, analogy): She was a widow and she had two boys. One had killed the other. Now her family was demanding that the one remaining brother be executed for the death of the other. She pleaded for the boy's life on the basis that if he were executed there would be no one left to carry on her husband's name.
David agreed. "Leave it to me, I will see to it that no one harms the boy." Now remember that Joab had obtained the services of this woman for the purpose of getting Absalom and David back together, so she asks for permission to ask one more question. "Seeing that you have made this decision for me, why then do you not bring home your banished son?" David suspected something. He asked her if Joab had sent her to him and she acknowledged that he had. Well, it worked. David told Joab to go get Absalom and bring him back to Jerusalem, but he was to remain in his own quarters and David would never see him.
We then get a picture of Absalom. He was handsome, had long hair, only cut it twice a year and then only because it became so heavy (3 lbs.). He had 3 sons and one daughter that he had named Tamar after his sister and she was very beautiful like his sister.
After Absalom had been in Jerusalem for two years and still had not seen his father, he sent for Joab. Joab ignored him. Then Absalom sent some of his servants out into one of Joab's fields and they set fire to it. This got Joab's attention. When Joab arrived, Absalom got him to go to his father and get him to resolve the problem between them. "If he considers me guilty of murder, let him execute me." "If I am only guilty of avenging my sister's shame, then forgive me." When Joab told David what Absalom had said, he sent for his son and when Absalom came into the Kings presence, he bowed and David kissed him and as far as David was concerned, all was well.
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