2 Samuel 14:7

5 “What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.

6 And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.

Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”

8 “Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.”

9 But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and on my father’s house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”
KJV
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
WEB
Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”
ASV
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.
DARBY
And behold, the whole family is risen against thy bondmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also: so they will quench my coal which is left, and will not leave to my husband a name or remnant on the earth.
BLB
And behold, the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Give up him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he has slain. And we will destroy also the heir.’ And they would extinguish my ember that is left, and not leave to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the earth.”
ÅB
Og nå har hele slekten reist seg mot din tjenerinne og sier: Kom hit med ham som slo sin bror ihjel, så vi kan ta hans liv til hevn for hans bror som han slo ihjel, og så vi også får ryddet arvingen av veien. Slik kommer de til å utslukke den siste gnist jeg enda har igjen, så de ikke levner min mann navn og etterkommere på jorden.
OTB
Nå har hele familien reist seg mot din tjenerinne og sier, ‘Bring hit ham som slo sin bror, så vi kan drepe ham for å ha drept sin bror.’ De vil også ødelegge arvingen, og slik vil de slokke min brennende kull som er igjen, og etterlate verken navn eller etterkommere på jorden for min mann.”
B1930
Og nu har hele slekten reist sig mot din tjenerinne og sier: Kom hit med ham som slo sin bror ihjel, så vi kan ta hans liv til hevn for hans bror som han slo ihjel, og så vi også får ryddet arvingen av veien. Således kommer de til å utslukke den siste gnist jeg ennu har igjen, så de ikke levner min mann navn og efterkommere på jorden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 35:19

    The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 21:38

    But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 19:12–13

    the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 27:45

    until your brother’s rage against you wanes and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

    Read in context
  • Genesis 4:14

    Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 25:6

    The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 12:17

    The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

    Read in context