What Does 2 Samuel 14:4 Mean in the King James?

And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

2 Samuel 14:4 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Her body bows to the ground while her plea, ⁨הוֹשִׁיעָה⁩ (hôšîʿâ, “deliver!”), asks the king to open a way from constriction into spaciousness.

THE MEANING

Need stands before authority in a bodily posture and plain words: she bows to the ground and says, “Help, O king.” The plea carries the force of deliverance, a way opening out of constriction before the one she addresses.

THE ROOT

הוֹשִׁיעָה

hôšîʿâ

GROWS FROM

ישע

y-sh-ʿ

Deliver, rescue; the movement from constriction toward spaciousness.

The plea translated “Help” is ⁨הוֹשִׁיעָה⁩ (hôšîʿâ, “deliver!”), from ⁨יָשַׁע⁩ (yasha, “deliver, rescue”). Its word family names both the rescue and the one who brings it, giving this request a clear direction: out of constriction and into spaciousness.

ALSO GROWS

yeshaʿ: Deliverance, rescue.

יֵשַׁע

This noun names what the imperative asks for: deliverance itself.

moshiaʿ: Deliverer, rescuer.

מוֹשִׁיעַ

This branch names the one who brings deliverance, the role the woman’s plea places before the king.

THE PATTERN

A cry for deliverance brings need directly before the one from whom rescue is sought.

Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

Psalm 118:25 · KJVThe psalmist directs an urgent plea for deliverance to the LORD.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 34:6 · KJVThe cry reaches the LORD, who answers by bringing deliverance.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Mark 10:47 · KJVA man calls directly to Jesus with his need, making his appeal audible.

THE THREAD

Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

Psalm 109:26 · KJV

The Hebrew for “save me” comes from ⁨יָשַׁע⁩ (yasha, “deliver, rescue”), the same root as the plea translated “Help” here. Psalm 109 places a general request for help beside a specific appeal for deliverance, opening the force of the woman’s words.

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