שמואל ב, פרק י״ד, פסוק כ״ט

Absalom reaches out to Joab, hoping to use him as a mediator to secure a face-to-face meeting with his father, King David. Because Joab had already helped bring him back to Jerusalem, Absalom naturally expects his continued support. He sends messengers to Joab, asking him to finish the process he started and arrange the reunion. However, Joab stubbornly and repeatedly refuses to come.

The reasons behind Joab's silence stem from different underlying motivations. His initial involvement may have been solely to calm the tension between the king and his son. Joab might not have even liked Absalom, and once he successfully returned him to the city, he simply wanted to stay out of the ongoing family conflict [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the repeated refusals carry a harsh, hidden message. By ignoring a second summons, Joab signals to Absalom that a meeting with the king is completely impossible. He avoids coming because he knows he cannot change David's mind, given the king's great hatred toward his son [מלבי״ם].

Frustrated by the constant rejection, Absalom feels pushed to take extreme action. After Joab ignores his calls time and time again, Absalom orders his servants to set fire to Joab's nearby barley field. By destroying the crop, he guarantees that Joab will be forced to finally respond and pay attention to him [אברבנאל].