2 Samuel 14:18–24

Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me anything that I ask you.”

And the woman said, “Please, let my lord the king speak.”

So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.

Not only does David instantly realize that the woman’s tale is really all about Absalom, but he suspects that this is Joab’s doing. So he asks and, sure enough, it is.

While David is, at times, inspired by the Holy Spirit to write scripture, this is not an example of supernatural inspiration. David simply saw through the ruse.

And there’s no special meaning to the woman complementing David by saying he is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth. That’s just her fawning response to her deception being exposed.

But it’s okay. It was all done in love. David learns the lesson they were trying to teach him and acts on it.

This is yet another case study on when it’s okay to lie. Unlike Nathan’s parable, which was told in vague, general terms, this woman was clearly and specifically lying about her husband and her sons. What makes that acceptable? Are there some situations where it’s okay to violate the ninth commandment?

This particular lie had an important distinction—it was, by design, temporary. The woman let on about this when she said, “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.”

Presumably, she intended to maintain the deception a little longer, but not indefinitely. The purpose of the lie she told was not to deceive, but to teach. The lesson was permanent; the lie was not.

To my eyes, that is not bearing false witness.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.