2 Samuel 14:14

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot bee gathered vp againe: neither doeth God respect any person, yet doeth he deuise meanes, that his banished bee not expelled from him. 2 Samuel 14:14 (KJV)

The passage often quoted with the wording above is not found in the King James Version of 2 Samuel 14:14. The actual verse reads differently and does not contain the imagery of water, death, or God’s impartiality. In the biblical narrative a wise woman from Tekoa is sent by Joab to speak with King David in order to persuade him to reconcile with his estranged son Absalom. Absalom had killed his half‑brother Amnon after Amnon raped their sister Tamar. Following that act Absalom fled and lived in exile, and David had not allowed him to return. The wise woman uses a parable to make her case, and the disputed wording is said to conclude her argument. Because the quoted text is not authentic, the theological reflections that link it to the inevitability of death, God’s impartiality, and divine mercy are not grounded in the actual scriptural passage. Readers are therefore encouraged to consult the true wording of 2 Samuel 14:14 for an accurate understanding of its meaning and to avoid attributing themes that are absent from the scripture. The context of the encounter—David’s grief over his son’s rebellion, Joab’s political maneuvering, and the woman’s persuasive appeal—remains a powerful illustration of the complexities of familial reconciliation and royal authority in Israel’s history, even apart from the misquoted passage.