4 Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king , she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said , " Help , O king ." 5 The king said to her, "What is your trouble?" And she answered , "Truly I am a widow , for my husband is dead . 6 "Your maidservant had two sons , but the two of them struggled together in the field , and there was no one to separate them, so one struck the other and killed him. 7 "Now behold , the whole family has risen against your maidservant , and they say , 'Hand over the one who struck his brother , that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed , and destroy the heir also .' Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left , so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth ." 8 Then the king said to the woman , "Go to your house , and I will give orders concerning you." 9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king , "O my lord , the king , the iniquity is on me and my father's house , but the king and his throne are guiltless ." 10 So the king said , "Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore e ." 11 Then she said , "Please let the king remember the Lord your God , so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy , otherwise they will destroy my son ." And he said , " As the Lord lives , not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground ."
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.