The Parable of the Wise Woman of Tekoah (Old Testament)
The Parable of the Wise Woman of Tekoah (2 Samuel 14) is one of the more influential parables found in the Old Testament. The story illustrates the importance of wisdom, compassion, and reconciliation. This is a modern retelling by Juan Artola Miranda.
Once upon a time in a kingdom filled with strife, there lived a wise woman from the town of Tekoah. Her wisdom and insight were known far and wide, and many sought her counsel in times of trouble.
In this kingdom, there was a great king named David who ruled with a fair hand. He had a son named Absalom, with whom he had a bitter falling out. The rift between father and son was so deep that Absalom had fled the kingdom, and for many years, they had remained apart, hearts hardened against each other.
The wise woman of Tekoah heard of the sad state of affairs between the king and his son. She saw the pain that it brought not only to them but to the entire kingdom. Moved with compassion, she decided to take action and help reconcile the father and son.
With a carefully devised plan in mind, the wise woman journeyed to the king’s palace. She sought an audience with King David, and upon being granted permission, she approached him with a somber face, as though weighed down by great sorrow.
“Oh, my lord,” she began, “I am a widow, and I am in great distress. My husband has passed away, and I am left with two sons. They fought against each other in the fields, and with no one to intervene, one of them struck the other and killed him.”
The king listened intently as the wise woman continued her story, her voice filled with grief.
“Now, my entire family demands that I hand over my remaining son to be executed for his brother’s death. If he is taken from me, my husband’s name and legacy will be extinguished. I beg you, my lord, to protect my only surviving son.”
King David, moved by the woman’s plea, assured her that he would intervene on her behalf and prevent the execution of her son.
But the wise woman of Tekoah was not finished. With great courage, she turned the king’s words back upon him, saying, “Why, then, my lord, do you hold a grudge against your own son, Absalom? Just as you have shown mercy to me, should you not also show mercy to your son and welcome him home?”
Juan Artola Miranda
I am Juan Artola Miranda, a fabulist living in the Mexican Caribbean. My friends know me by the name of my father's father, but that name grew into something bigger, my writing reaching tens of millions of readers. It was too strong for me to control. Artola Miranda is the name of my mother's mother. It's a better name for a fabulist.