4 The woman of Tekoa went to the king, bowed deeply before him in homage, and said, "O King, help!" 5 He said, "How can I help?" 6 I had two sons. The two of them got into a fight out in the field and there was no one around to step between them. The one struck the other and killed him. 7 Then the whole family ganged up against me and demanded, 'Hand over this murderer so we can kill him for the life of the brother he murdered!' They want to wipe out the heir and snuff out the one spark of life left to me. And then there would be nothing left of my husband - not so much as a name - on the face of the earth. 8 The king said, "Go home, and I'll take care of this for you." 9 "I'll take all responsibility for what happens," the woman of Tekoa said. "I don't want to compromise the king and his reputation." 10 "Bring the man who has been harassing you," the king continued. "I'll see to it that he doesn't bother you anymore." 11 "Let the king invoke the name of God," said the woman, "so this self-styled vigilante won't ruin everything, to say nothing of killing my son." "As surely as God lives," he said, "not so much as a hair of your son's head will be lost."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 14:4-11
Commentary on 2 Samuel 14:1-20
(Read 2 Samuel 14:1-20)
We may notice here, how this widow pleads God's mercy, and his clemency toward poor guilty sinners. The state of sinners is a state of banishment from God. God pardons none to the dishonour of his law and justice, nor any who are impenitent; nor to the encouragement of crimes, or the hurt of others.