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Absalom was the third son of King David, and he
appeared to have been the favorite of the king.
Over a period of years, David acquired eight wives, and he had many
sons. The Bible gives us the names of some of those sons, but only one
daughter is mentioned by name ... it was Tamar.
Absalom and Tamar had the same mother who was the daughter of the king
of Geshur in Philistia. Absalom was very protective of his sister.
David's eldest son was Amnon. He was very fond of Tamar and wanted to
have her for his wife, but because she was his half-sister, that was
not permissible. His desire for her was very obvious to his friend
Jonadab, and he gave Amnon some very bad advice concerning Tamar.
Jonadab advised him to find a way to be alone with Tamar and then have
a sexual relationship with her..
The idea appealed to Amnon, so one day he pretended to be ill, and
when asked what could be done for him, Amnon requested that Tamar come
and prepare something for him to eat.
Tamar was more than happy to help her step-brother, but as soon as
they were alone, Amnon leaped out of bed and raped her! After that
disgraceful act, Amnon's imagined love for her turned to hatred, and
he ordered her out of his room.
Amnon's sin against Tamar was worthy of a death sentence, but even
though David was extremely displeased with his son's actions, he did
nothing about it.
Absalom was furious with Amnon and also grieved at his father's
failure to execute his brother for that disgraceful act against Tamar,
and for two years, he would not speak to him. Absalom took Tamar into
his own house, and she lived in seclusion from that time on, which was
according to the custom of the Jews in those days.
Absalom's hatred for Amnon grew stronger every day, and then he
devised a plan to kill him.
Absalom had his own flocks of sheep in Baal-hazor, and when the time
for sheepshearing drew near, he invited some of his brothers to attend
the celebration.
In order to avoid suspicion, Absalom went to David and said, "Father,
won't you join your sons and me at the sheep-shearing festivities that
I am preparing at my ranch in Baal-hazor?"
David replied, "No, my son. We must not all leave Jerusalem at the
same time. I will stay here and take care of the matters of state, but
you may go and take the others with my blessing."
Then Absalom got to his real purpose and said, "If you must stay,
father, please allow Amnon to go with us."
Puzzled, David questioned, "Why should he accompany you? I thought you
two weren't on speaking terms?"
Absalom did not give his father a direct answer, but instead he kept
insisting that all of the king's sons, including Amnon, be permitted
to go with him, and David finally agreed.
As soon as Absalom arrived at his ranch, he called his servants to him
and commanded, "Keep a close eye on my brother Amnon, and when he is
full of wine, kill him! Don't be afraid to carry out my orders!"
In the middle of the merry-making, Absalom gave a signal to his men,
and they rose up and fell upon Amnon and killed him!
When the rest of the king's sons saw that Amnon had been murdered,
they got up quickly and found their mules and fled from that place!
One of the king's messengers met them on they way back to Jerusalem,
and when he learned what had happened, he hurried back to David and
reported to him, "Your majesty, Absalom has killed all of your sons!"
David was devastated when he heard that news! He tore his robe and lay
on the earth! His servants stood around him and tried to comfort him.
Suddenly, Amnon's friend Jonadab came to the king and said, "Your
majesty, don't believe that all of your sons are dead! Amnon was the
only one slain! Ever since Amnon violated Tamar, Absalom has tried to
find a way to kill him. Look! Your sons are approaching now!"
Meanwhile, Absalom had taken his servants and fled to Syria to stay
with his grandfather, the king of Geshur, and he remained there in
hiding for three years.
David was very sad when he heard that Absalom had fled, and he longed
to go to him, but he did not do so.
CHAPTER 2
Meanwhile, a man by the name of Joab, who was a general in the army of
Israel and also always in close contact with David, came to the king
to speak to him about Absalom.
Joab was not only a high-ranking officer, but he was also David's
nephew. Zeruiah, David's sister, was the mother of Joab.
Joab saw how much David missed his son Absalom, but he also knew that
David was too proud to send for him. Joab devised a plan that he
thought might reconcile father and son. He found a trustworthy and
capable woman in whom he had confidence and said to her, "I want you
to put on mourning apparel and pretend to be someone who has been in
mourning for a loved one for a long time. Then, take a message which I
will give you to the king."
After receiving instructions from Joab, the woman went to the king.
She bowed down to David with her face to the ground and said to him,
"Please help me, your majesty."
David asked, "What is troubling you?"
The woman replied, "I am a widow who bore two sons for my deceased
husband., My sons had a terrible argument one day, and it ended with
one son killing the other one. Now my family is demanding that I give
my surviving son to them so they might kill him for what he has done!
If I do that, I will dishonor my husband's name by causing his only
heir to be removed!"
David listened to the woman's problem and then said to her, "Go back
home, and I will make sure that no harm will come to you or to your
son. I swear to you in the name of the Lord that not one hair of his
head shall fall upon the ground!"
The woman took a few steps closer to the king and said, "I must say
one more thing to you, your majesty."
David responded, "You have my permission to continue."
She gathered all her courage and answered, "The Lord has given you
great wisdom to understand the difference between good and evil. You
have great wisdom and can understand the difference between good and
evil. I'm confident that you will be fair also in a matter close to
your own heart as well."
David considered her words carefully and then leaned forward and said,
"I'm going to as you an important question, and I will expect a
truthful answer ... didn't Joab deliberately send you to me with this
story?"
The woman lowered her eyes for a moment and then answered, 'Truly you
are very wise, your majesty. Yes, Joab did instruct me to come to you
with this story to soften your heart toward your own son Absalom."
David dismissed the woman and sent for Joab. Then, in a half-hearted
manner, David said to him, "Joab, go to Geshur and bring Absalom back
here to Jerusalem. He may be sure I will not harm him."
Joab was elated! He bowed down and said to David, "Thank you, your
majesty. Today I know that I have found grace in your sight, because
you have answered my plea on behalf of Absalom."
To Joab's great disappointment and surprise, David's response was,
"Fine! Let Absalom go to his own house, but I do not want to see his
face."
When Absalom was told that his father refused to see him, he went to
his own house and thought about how he could handle the situation.
CHAPTER 3
In all Israel there was not a more handsome young man than Absalom.
From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no
blemish in him. He had beautiful hair that he cut and sold at the end
of every year.
After not seeing his father for two years, Absalom sent for Joab to
see if he could arrange a meeting between himself and his father. When
Joab did not respond to his call, Absalom sent word a second time, and
still Joab did not come to him.
Then Absalom said to his servants, "Joab has a field of barley next to
mine. Go there and set fire to his field, and perhaps then I will get
his attention."
Joab responded very quickly and went to Absalom demanding, "Why have
your servants set fire to my barley field?"
Absalom replied, "I ordered them to do it, because you wouldn't come
to me! Tell me, Joab, why have you brought me here? It would have been
better if I had remained in Geshur! Arrange an audience for me with
the king, and if he finds any fault in me, let him kill me!"
Joab went to David and repeated Absalom's words to him. After that,
David sent for Absalom and embraced him.
Absalom still felt betrayed by his father, and because of his hurt
feelings, he secretly plotted a revolt against David. Absalom prepared
a small army of men. Then he rode in a beautiful horse-drawn chariot
with fifty men to run beside him as he traveled throughout the land
making friends with the people. He would rise up early every morning
and stand near the city gate where people would come with their
problems. If any man had a complaint against David's authority,
Absalom would say, "Friend, who are you and how may I help you?"
Absalom would listen to the problem and then say, "You have a
legitimate complaint, my friend. If I were made a judge in the land, I
would see that justice was upheld!"
By flattering words and believable concern for the people who came to
him for help, Absalom stole the stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
CHAPTER 4
After four years of planning his revolt, Absalom was ready to carry
out his plans. He went to David and said, "Father, when I was in
Geshur, I promised the Lord I would serve Him if He brought me back to
Jerusalem again. Now, I have come for your permission to go to Hebron
to make a sacrifice unto the Lord.
David responded, "Go in peace, my son."
Before leaving for Hebron, Absalom called for two hundred men in
Jerusalem to go with him. The men he chose gladly accompanied him, but
they did not realize he was planning to commit treason against David.
Absalom used his men as spies, and had them take a message to everyone
in Israel which was: "Absalom reigns as king in Hebron!"
The conspiracy was strong, and the number of people who joined Absalom
increased every day until he had a huge army. Even David's personal
counselor Ahithophel joined in the revolt.
A messenger went to David and said, "Absalom has stolen the hearts of
the men of Israel, and they are going to make him their king!"
David quickly assembled all his men and said, "We must leave Jerusalem
at once! If Absalom and his army come here suddenly, our lives and the
lives of all the people in Jerusalem will be lost!"
David's men replied, "We are ready to go with you wherever you take
us!"
David took his men and made a hasty retreat into the wilderness to
hide from Absalom and to see what the Lord would do about the
situation.
Among the men with David was the priest Zadok and all of the Levites
who bore the Ark of the Covenant.
David said to Zadok, "Tell the Levites to carry the Ark of the
Covenant back to Jerusalem and inquire of the Lord for me. If I find
favor of the Lord, He will return me to Jerusalem again, but if He is
no longer pleased with me, let Him do whatever He wills regarding me.
I will wait here in the wilderness until I receive word from you."
Zadok and the Levites returned to Jerusalem as David had told them to
do. Then David and the others went with him into Mount Olivet, weeping
as they ascended.
One man went to David and said, "Your friend and counselor Ahithophel
is among the conspirators with Absalom."
David prayed to the Lord and said, "Oh, Lord, I pray that you will
turn the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness."
CHAPTER 5
Ahithophel was a man of great wisdom, and the words that he spoke were
considered to be almost on a par with the Word of God! He was also the
grandfather of Bathsheba. Perhaps his resentment of David's conduct
toward her motivated his defection, or possibly he might have thought
he could have more power by serving the young prince that he had under
David's authority.
The counsel of Ahithophel to Absalom was two-fold. First, he advised
that Absalom go into Jerusalem and publicly take possession of the
royal harem to show the people that relations between father and son
were completely severed. Secondly, he advised immediate pursuit of
David and his men.
While Absalom and his troops were making ready to go after David,
another of David's counselors came to them and pretended to be in
favor of the rebellion. His name was Hushai.
Hushai was a close friend and advisor of the king, and he had joined
David when he fled from Jerusalem. Then, at David's suggestion, Hushai
went back to the city to serve Absalom in a devious way.
Absalom held a conference and asked Hushai what he would advise them
to do.
Hushai said, "I would strongly advise that you delay your pursuit of
David until you have made more preparations for battle."
Absalom and his men decided to accept Hushai's counsel and reject the
advice given to them by Ahithophel.
When Ahiuthophel saw that his counsel was rejected, he went home and
hanged himself.
Meanwhile, David was greatly encouraged by the Lord. He numbered the
people and divided them into three very large groups and set leaders
over them. One-third of the people were given to Joab, one-third to
Joab's brother Abishai and one-third into the hand ofittai, who was
from Gath in Philistia.
Then David announced, "I will surely go with you into the battle!"
The people said, "You must not go with us, David! Absalom's men won't
care what happens to any of us, but you are worth ten-thousand of us,
so please stay here where you will be safe!"
David replied, "Alright, I'll do as you think best."
When the army was ready to go, all of the people heard David give a
command to Joab, Abishai and lttai when he said, "Be sure to deal
gently with my son Absalom!"
CHAPTER 6
Absalom and his men crossed over the Jordan River in pursuit of his
father. A battle was fought in the wood of ephriam east of Jordan, and
Absalom's army was badly defeated. Twenty-thousand men were slain on
the battlefield, and an even greater number of men died in the forest
that surrounded the field of battle.
Absalom fled on a swift mule, and as he rode through the forest, his
long hair became entangled in the branches of a huge oak tree. His
mule kept running, leaving Absalom suspended in mid-air, unable to
free himself!
One of Joab's men saw what happened, and he went to report the
incident to Joab and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree
just down the road from here!"
Joab replied, "If you saw him in that helpless state, why didn't you
kill him? I would have given you a very handsome reward?"
The man answered, "If you would give me a great deal of money, I would
never touch the king's son! I heard him tell you and the other
generals not to harm him in any way! I would have endangered my own
life by doing so. You know that nothing can be hidden from the king.
Even you, Joab, would have been against me for such action against the
king's son!"
Then Joab said roughly, "You're wasting my time! I'll go myself and
take care of that traitor!"
Joab took three darts in his hand, mounted his mule and went to find
Absalom. When he found him, Joab took the darts, and while Absalom was
still alive, Joab thrust the darts into his heart!
Ten of Joab's armor bearers cut Absalom's body from the tree. Then
Joab blew a trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing the
Israelite army. They took Absalom's body, and cast it into a large pit
in the forest and then placed a great heap of stones upon the grave.
Joab sent Cushi, a runner, to tell David about their great victory
over the rebels.
David questioned Cushi, "Is my son Absalom safe?"
Cushi replied, "All of your enemies have been destroyed, your majesty,
including Absalom."
David was extremely saddened by that news! He went aside from the
people and wept and said, "0 my son, Absalom. If only God would have
let me die instead of you, my son, my son!"
Yes, both David and Absalom suffered for the wrongs they had done.
However, by their actions, neither man was able to turn two wrongs
into one right!
THE END
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