2 Samuel 14:20
“to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.””
What does 2 Samuel 14:20 mean?
The woman speaking here is using flattery strategically, telling King David that his advisor Joab orchestrated her entire visit to manipulate David's thinking on a difficult matter. She's essentially saying, "You're so wise that you can see right through what we've done, and that wisdom comes from God himself." It's a clever compliment wrapped around an admission, meant to soften the king's response. The passage reminds us how people throughout history have used praise and appeals to someone's better nature to get what they need, and how recognizing this doesn't always make us angry, especially when there's genuine need underneath the manipulation.