Absalom

File:Gustave dore bibel death of absalom.jpg

The Death of Absalom engraving from the Doré Bible).

File:Absalom.jpg

The Hanging of Absalom - Weft-silk watercolor by Faith Robinson Trumbull (1718-1780)

Absalom (אַבְשָׁלוֹם "Father of peace", Standard Hebrew Avšalom), in the Bible, was the third son of King David and leader of a major rebellion which nearly dethroned his father. He was deemed the most beautiful man in the kingdom.

Biblical story

Born at Hebron while David, who ruled only over Judah, was still at war with the house of Saul, Absalom was David's third listed son. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. After David succeeded in unifying the kingdom, Absalom was his most promising offspring, considered to be the heir apparent.

However, after David had unfied the kingdom and settled his royal family in Jerusalem, Absalom faced a severe crisis. His sister Tamar had been raped by David's eldest son, Amnon, who was temporarily in love with her but came to hate her after he had defiled her. Absalom comforted and protect the distraught Tamar, waiting two years to avenge her disgrace. He then invited Ammon and several other princes to a feast at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, during a sheep-shearing celebration. After Ammon had drunk his fill of wine, Absalom order his servants to murder him.(2 Samuel 13).

Absalom took with refuge with Talmai of Geshur (see Joshua 12:5 or 13:2), his maternal grandfather. Although David "longed" for him, it would take three years for him to return in safety to Jerusalem, largely through the influence of Joab, David's cousin and commander-in-chief of the army. Back in the capital, Absalom lived in his own home and was still not admitted into the King's presence.

During this period, he busied himself raising a family consisting of three sons and a daughter, the beautiful Tamar, named after his sister. He developed a national reputation for his good looks and charm, and his own good looks became was legendary (2 Sam. 14). Yet, after two more years, Absalom still had not met face to face with his father, King David. Joab, apparently fearful to approach the king further on Absalom's behalf, also refused to meet the prince. Deciding on desperate measures, Absalom had Joab's fields set aflame, later declaring to him: "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there! Now then, I want to see the king's face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."

Somewhat surprisingly, this unorthodoxy diplomatic strategy proved effect, as Joab intervened again with the King and David finally received Absalom, greeting him with a kiss after the prince offer his obeisance.

Over the next four years, Absalom ingratiated him with the outlying tribes by meeting with travelers to the capital and sympathizing with their complaints, promising them justice "If only I were appointed judge in the land." (2 Sam 15:4) After having established what he believed to be an adequate foundation for his plans, he asked the King for permission to travel to Hebron, David's former capital, in order to fulfill a religious vow at that city's sacred altar.

At Hebron Absalom dispatched messenger to raise a revolt. "All Israel," meaning the northern tribes, and much of Judah rallied to his side, dedclaring "Absalom is king in Hebron!" Ahithophel, one of David's chief advisors, soon joined the rebellion, along with major elements of the arming, leaving David protected mainly by mercenary troops. So effective was Absalom's strategy that the King decided to abandon Jerusalem, fleeing across the Kidron Valley toward the desert.

The priests remained behind in Jerusalem, and their sons Jonathan and Ahimaaz served as his spies. Absalom reached the capital and took counsel with the renowned Ahithophel (sometimes Achitophel). The pursuit was continued and David took refuge beyond the Jordan River. However, David took the precaution of instructing a servant, Hushai, to infiltrate Absalom's court and subvert it. To that end, Hushai convinces the prince to ignore Ahithophel's advice to attack his father while he's on the run and instead better prepare his forces for a major attack. This gave David critical time to prepare his own troops for the coming battle.

A battle was fought in the "wood of Ephraim" (the name suggests a locality west of the Jordan) and Absalom's army was completely routed. He himself, having long hair, was caught by his hair in the boughs of an oak-tree, and as David had strictly charged his men to deal gently with the young man, Joab was informed. What a common soldier refused to do even for a thousand shekels of silver, the king's general at once undertook. Joab thrust three spears through the heart of Absalom as he struggled in the branches and his ten armour-bearers came around and slew him. Despite the revolt, David was overwhelmed with grief and ordered a great heap of stones to be erected where he fell, whilst another monument near Jerusalem (not the modern "Absalom Tomb" - "Yad Avshalom" which is of later origin) was erected by Absalom in his lifetime to perpetuate his name 2 Samuel 18:

"18. Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a monument, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's monument."

Allusions to Absalom

• The single verse, 2 Samuel 18 v33, regarding David's grief at the loss of his son, is the setting of several pieces of choral music, usually entitled When David Heard (Such as Eric Whitacre's When David Heard) although this does not appear in the actual scripture.

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