How does 2 Samuel 14:5 illustrate God's justice and mercy through King David?

Setting the Scene

• 2 Samuel 14 opens after Absalom has fled for killing his brother Amnon (2 Samuel 13:28-38).

• Joab senses David’s grief and devises a plan: a wise woman from Tekoa will present a fabricated case to the king so he will reflect on his own estranged son.

• Verse 5 captures David’s first interaction with her:

“The king asked her, ‘What troubles you?’ And she said, ‘Indeed, I am a widow; my husband is dead.’ ”

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David’s Heart on Display

• Immediate concern — David doesn’t brush her off; he initiates, “What troubles you?”

• Openness to hear — He grants an audience to an apparently insignificant widow (cf. Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 68:5).

• Compassionate tone — His question is pastoral, embodying mercy before judgment (Proverbs 31:8-9).

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Justice Reflected in the King’s Office

• God expects kings to uphold justice (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).

• By entertaining her plea, David models due process; no matter how small the case, justice must be heard (2 Samuel 8:15).

• The widow’s status evokes God’s own protective statutes for the vulnerable (Exodus 22:22-23), showing David mirrors divine justice.

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Mercy Revealed in the King’s Character

• David’s willingness to listen foreshadows the mercy he will soon extend to Absalom (2 Samuel 14:21).

• Mercy triumphs over mere retribution (James 2:13).

• His interaction hints at God’s heart: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate…” (Psalm 145:8).

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Balancing Two Divine Attributes

• Justice — Absalom’s murder of Amnon deserved consequence (Genesis 9:6).

• Mercy — Yet the king’s paternal love yearned for reconciliation (2 Samuel 13:39).

• Verse 5 shows the tension: David’s official duty must weigh the law, but his instinctive compassion reveals God’s mercy at work in him.

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Application: Seeing God’s Justice and Mercy Today

• Listening hearts reflect God’s justice — giving people a fair hearing combats partiality (Leviticus 19:15).

• Compassion moves us toward mercy — as David leaned in to the widow, so believers are called to “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

• Justice without mercy becomes harsh; mercy without justice becomes lawless. In David’s simple question, both streams emerge together, pointing to the perfect union fulfilled in Christ (John 1:17).