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ABSALOM, the DISGRACED PRINCE (II Sam ABSALOM, THE DISGRACED PRINCE (II Sam. 13-18) Absalom was the third son of King David, by one of his wives, Maacah. Quite ironically, his name means ‘father of peace’ but unfortunately, his mother’s name means ‘depression’ and she was the daughter, - the princess, - of a man called Talmai who was the king of Geshur, which lies in the northern region known today as the Golan Heights. In those days, it was quite a distance from Jerusalem, where David was living. While there is no detail given in the Bible as to how they met and married, the ancient Rabbis were very much against the union. This was because she, - Maacah, - was not a Jewess, and the law forbid such a marriage union, and they quoted from Deuteronomy, Dt. 21:10 When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman [also Abigail (I Sam. 25:3) and Bathsheba], and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare [‘do up’] her nails; 13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. 14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her. And added to that … 15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his. … Indeed, King David did have problems with his wives … He had more than two … at least eight are named, - he had many wives. Saul’s daughter Michal was the first … During his first seven and a half years, David reigned from Hebron, and II Sam. 3 gives us a list of his wives and the children when he lived there, II Sam. 3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. There were others, including Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother (II Sam. 11). 2 So, King David had a complicated family life, - many wives, some he liked more than others, and thirdly, the law also warned, 18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. … Absalom ‘turned out’ to be ‘a stubborn and rebellious son’! David’s family was far from being a model, - it was the nation’s ‘first family’ but it was no shining example of domestic life! The first mention we have of Absalom was when his half-brother (Amnon) ‘took a fancy’ to Absalom’s beautiful sister (Tamar, II Sam. 13:1). However, Tamar rebuffed Amnon’s advances … only for Amnon to hatch a devious plan to trick her into his home and rape her (II Sam. 13). When Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, heard what had happened, he brought Tamar into his home, and looked after her. She was a beautiful young girl, and he was a handsome young fellow, II Sam. 14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. … For the next two years, Absalom held a bitter hatred against his half-brother Ammon until, one day, he killed him. Out of fear for his father, though, Absalom ran! He absconded to his grandfather’s territory in Geshur, - to where his mother had been taken from, - and he remained there in exile for three years. Little did he know though, his father was mourning for him, II Sam. 13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom … But such was the relations between King David and the king of Geshur, nothing was done for there is no record of any attempted reconciliation. However, David’s general (Joab) concocted a plan which got the king to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem … not to the palace, but to his own stately house, 3 14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face. … They both lived like this for the next two years, without any contact. Finally, on Joab’s initiative once again, David and Absalom got back together, with a small measure of reconciliation. It didn’t last though, because Absalom began a calculated policy of ‘dirty tricks’ to undermine his father. He set himself up as a judge in Jerusalem. He was an attractive man, and tremendously popular in that even when he had his annual haircut he sold the shavings of his at an exorbitant profit (v.26)! In fact, Absalom was a handsome man, his mother was beautiful, as was his sister, as was his daughter (v.27) … and yet, inside he was pure rotten! He set himself up as judge in Jerusalem with the intention of captivating the hearts and minds of the people with his winsome ways so he could gain enough support to unseat his own father and become king. This deceitful and underhanded prince charmed the people of Jerusalem for four years, and then he asked his father if he could go to Hebron where, - unbeknownst to David, - he had secretly arranged to become king. By this time, he had managed to seduce large numbers to follow him in his conspiracy, and he returned from Hebron announcing himself as king. He was so compelling and dynamic and impressive that even King David, the great warrior-king of Israel, fled … he fled from his own son! David, who had slain Goliath and who the nation had boasted to have killed tens of thousands … ran in fear from his own son! When he ran, he took some of his family with him … but Absalom took over David’s house, and he slept with, - violated, - his father’s concubines. He intended to pursue his father. However, he acted on the advice of others who advised him not to. In the meantime, David mustered his own troop of soldiers and sent them to recapture Jerusalem from Absalom. … Father against son! … A father who loved his son … Look at that verse and see how broken-hearted David was, 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. … The King weeping over Jerusalem on Mount Olives … 4 And he had good reason to weep for across the valley, in the city, evil plans were intensifying, 17:1 Moreover Ahithophel [who had been an advisor to David but had ‘switched sides’] said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
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