Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 14:24
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
24. let him not see my face ] To recall Absalom without giving him a full pardon was a most dangerous policy. It could not fail to irritate him. It may be inferred from 2Sa 14:29 ; 2Sa 14:31 that he was confined to his house by David’s order, for otherwise he would not have had to wait until Joab came. David’s reasons for this course of action are discussed in the note on 2Sa 14:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let him not see my face – We are not told why David adopted this half-measure. Possibly Bath-shebas influence may have been exerted to keep Absalom in disgrace for the sake of Solomon.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. Let him not see my face.] He would not at once restore him to favour, though he had now remitted his crime; so that he should not die for it. It was highly proper to show this detestation of the crime, and respect for justice.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Let him not see my face; lest whilst he showed some mercy to Absalom, he should seem to approve of his sin, and thereby wound his own conscience, and lose his honour, and encourage him and others to such-like attempts; and that by this means Absalom might be drawn to a more thorough humiliation and true repentance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the king said,…. Very probably to Joab, when he informed him of Absalom’s being come to Jerusalem:
let him turn to his own house; depart from the king’s palace, where Joab had brought him, and go to his own house, which was in Jerusalem; for here he had one before he fled to Geshur; see 2Sa 13:20;
and let him not see my face; which he ordered, partly to show his detestation of the crime he had been guilty of, and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it; and partly for his credit among some of the people at least, who might think it was a crime so great as not to go unpunished, though others were of a different mind; and also for the greater humiliation of Absalom, who, the king might think, had not been sufficiently humbled for his sin, or had not truly repented of it:
so Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face; in obedience to his father’s orders.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) Let him not see my face.David allowed Absaloms return, but forbade him his presence. The former had been done in weakness, the latter through a sense of justice. The effect of this half measure was unfortunate; Absalom was irritated, and yet placed in a favourable position to carry out his plots. It is probable that Absalom was confined to his own house.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. Let him not see my face Though his heart yearn in its love for him, yet his respect for law and justice leads him for the present to show this sternness and severity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 14:24. Let him turn to his own house, &c. This discountenance and rebuke, which Absalom received from his father, was certainly little enough to signify the king’s abhorrence of his late cruel revenge upon his brother; yet not more than was necessary to mortify his pride and repress his popularity, which now in all probability began to blaze out upon the news of this reconciliation to his father: and this appears to be the reason why the sacred historian immediately subjoins to this account of the king’s discountenance, a particular description of Absalom’s beauty, 2Sa 14:25-26 which is a frequent foundation of popularity; and then acquaints us with his having three sons and one fair daughter, 2Sa 14:27 whom he named after his unhappy sister, Tamar, which was probably another fountain of pride, popularity, and presumption.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(24) And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face. (25) But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. (26) And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight. (27) And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
Amidst all the beauty of Absalom’s person, we hear nothing of the graces of his mind! Alas! what are all outward attractions but vanity. The Lord seeth not as man seeth. Concerning Absalom’s family, the record of his children is but of short note, for they were soon cut off, as appears, 2Sa 18:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
Ver. 24. Let him turn to his own house. ] This was a piece of prudent severity: as well for the better humbling of Absalom, whom David knew to be of an insolent nature, as for the preventing of scandal, lest otherwise he might seem too facile to one guilty of so foul a fact, and to make but a light matter of manslaughter.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
saw not the king’s face
Not so had God taught David to forgive. Legalists have thought Absalom’s wilfulness to have been due to over-indulgence on the part of David. There is no such intimation in Scripture. Rather it would seem that had David at this time taken Absalom into intimacy, the rebellion might have been averted.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
let him not: 2Sa 14:28, 2Sa 3:13, Gen 43:3, Exo 10:28, Rev 22:4
Reciprocal: Gen 33:10 – I have seen 2Sa 3:3 – Absalom 1Ki 1:53 – Go to 1Ki 2:36 – Build 1Ch 15:1 – houses
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 14:24. The king said, Let him turn to his own house Although the king so far forgave Absalom as to recall him from exile, yet he forbade him to see his face. For his affection to him did not so blind his eyes but he still saw it would not be for his honour to let him come into his presence, lest while he showed some mercy to him, he should seem to approve of his sin. Likewise, he hoped that by this means Absalom might be brought to a more thorough consideration of the heinousness of his crime, and to repentance for it. Indeed, such a discountenance and rebuke as this was necessary, not only to signify the kings abhorrence of his late cruel revenge upon his brother, but to mortify his pride and repress his popularity; which it seems now began to blaze out upon the news of his reconciliation to his father. And this may be the reason why the sacred historian subjoins to this account of the kings discountenance a particular description of Absaloms beauty, which is a natural and common foundation of popularity; and then adds an account of his having three sons, and one fair daughter, (whom he named after his unhappy sister, Tamar,) which was also another fountain of pride, popularity, and presumption. Delaney. He saw not the kings face Which was some humiliation to him; for hereby he saw he had not a full pardon, not being entirely restored to the kings favour. The people also might see by this, in part, how detestable his crime was in the kings account, and that he would not easily pass by the like in any other person, since he could not endure the sight of a son whose hands were defiled with the blood of his brother.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:24 And the king said, Let him {o} turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
(o) Covering by this his affection, and showing some part of justice to please the people.