2 Samuel 14:8

DAVID GRANTED HER PETITION WITH AN OATH

"Then the king said to the woman, `Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.' And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, `On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.' The king said, `If any one says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.' Then she said, `Pray let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood slay no more, and my son be not destroyed.' He said, `As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.'"

"On me be the guilt" (2 Samuel 14:9). This request of the woman recognized the guilt that rested upon any person avoiding the just punishment of murderers, but here, she stated her willingness to assume that guilt upon herself in order that it might not rest upon David and upon his throne. "The woman was here pleading for full forgiveness for the living son who had murdered his brother, which, of course, would be a violation of Levitical law. Anything less than full forgiveness would not help her plea for Absalom."[6]

"Pray let the king invoke the Lord your God" (2 Samuel 14:11). "The woman was not satisfied with David's mere promise, she requested that he reinforce it with an oath, which he did."[7] "The reason for the woman's demanding made up, before her application of the story to the case of Absalom."[8]

"That the avenger of blood slay no more" (2 Samuel 14:11). "The avenger of blood was the nearest of kin to the murdered man; and his duties are outlined in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19."[9] The forgiveness of such a murderer was a violation of God's commandment, a fact which the woman frankly admitted here in volunteering to accept the guilt upon herself.