2 Samuel 14:7

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The anonymous woman addresses King David, recounting a family crisis to persuade him to intervene in a blood feud. She speaks during a moment when the king has just ordered her to return home and issue a verdict on her behalf.

The words — The Hebrew קָ֨מָה (Ka.mah) means “it has risen up,” describing the clan’s mobilization against the speaker. The verb תְּנִ֣י (te.Ni) commands the king to “deliver up” the killer, framing the legal demand in direct, imperative terms.

The thread — The clan’s demand for vengeance mirrors the avenger of blood in Numbers 35:19 and the plot to kill the heir in Matthew 21:38. The fear of a name being extinguished echoes the patriarch’s fear of being driven from the earth in Genesis 4:14.

Why it lands — The text forces a choice between strict clan retribution and preserving a family line, demanding the reader weigh justice against mercy. It shows how a carefully framed legal plea can override automatic vengeance and redirect royal authority.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִנֵּה֩ve./hi.Nehand/ there!קָ֨מָהKa.mahit has risen up כָֽל־khol-all הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜הha./mish.pa.Chahthe/ clan עַל־'al-on שִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָshif.cha.Te./khamaidservant/ your וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙va/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they have said תְּנִ֣י׀te.Nideliver up אֶת־'et-<obj.>מַכֵּ֣הma.Keh[the] [one who] struck down אָחִ֗יו'a.Chi/v<of> brother/ his וּנְמִתֵ֙הוּ֙u./ne.mi.Te./huso/ we may put to death/ him בְּנֶ֤פֶשׁbe./Ne.feshfor/ [the] life of אָחִיו֙'a.Chi/vbrother/ his אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhom הָרָ֔גha.Raghe killed וְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָהve./nash.Mi.dahand/ let us destroy גַּ֣םgamalso אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַיּוֹרֵ֑שׁhai./yo.Reshthe/ heir וְכִבּ֗וּve./khi.Buand/ they will extinguish אֶת־'et-<obj.>גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙ga.chal.T/icoal/ my אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich נִשְׁאָ֔רָהnish.'A.rahit is left לְבִלְתִּ֧יle./vil.Tito/ not שִׂיםsom-to establish לְאִישִׁ֛יle./'i.Sh/ifor/ husband/ my שֵׁ֥םshema name וּשְׁאֵרִ֖יתu./she.'e.Ritand/ a remnant עַל־'al-on פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] surface of הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פha./'a.da.Mahthe/ ground

King James Version

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.

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.
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.’
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.”
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?”
Deuteronomy 19:12 the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.
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.
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.