II Shmuel 14: Tekoa Gedola

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Sep 24, 2026 · 2m

Yoav once again intervenes in David’s story. This time, he senses that David wants a reunion with Avshalom, but does not want to make the first move. Yoav borrows from Natan the prophet and devises a plan for a woman to bring a parable before David in order to trick him into admitting he would like to bring Avshalom back. To accomplish this, Yoav brings a “wise woman from Tekoa” (אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה מִתְּקוֹעַ). Why Tekoa? According to the Talmud in Menachos 85b, Tekoa was a city that was rich in olive oil. This oil was the source of all oil for Temple offerings. “The people were accustomed to…