Absalom in Biblical History

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Who is Absalom?
AB'SALOM
(father of peace) was the third son of David by Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. 2 Sam 3:3. He was remarkable for his beauty, and for his hair, which is said to have weighed 200 shekels when cut off every year. But if the royal shekel equal the sacred shekel, this would make 6 pounds, which is incredible. The difficulty is not removed by reducing the value of the shekel one-half or one-third. 19 The simplest explanation is that by the error of a copyist the 200 was written for 20, the difference between the figures being very slight in Hebrew notation. Absalom's fair sister, called Tamar, having been violated by Amnon, his half-brother, he meditated revenge, since he was her natural avenger; and after brooding over the outrage for two years, he at last took Amnon's life at a feast to which he had invited him, and then at once fled to Talmai, his maternal grandfather, at Geshur, where he stayed three years. Joab, in order to secure Absalom's return and restoration to his father's favor, employed a woman of Tekoa to appear before David and feign a case similar to the situation of Absalom, and having obtained his decision, to apply the principle to the real case. After a favorable decision was obtained in the feigned case, the woman began to plead for Absalom's return. The king suspected Joab's concern in the plot, and the woman confessed that it was wholly planned by him. David, however, directed Joab to go to Geshur and bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but would not receive him into favor nor admit him to his presence, nor did he see his face for two years more. Wearied with his banishment, Absalom often attempted to obtain an interview with Joab, but for some cause Joab was not disposed to go to him. To compel him to come, Absalom resorted to a singular expedient; he directed his servants to set fire to Joab's fields. Joab immediately came to Absalom, was persuaded to plead with the king in his behalf, succeeded in his effort, and Absalom was received into full favor. Absalom then showed the object of his ambition was to obtain his father's throne. He was jealous of the favor his father gave to Solomon, Bath-sheba's son, for, since he was the oldest living son of David, he was by birth the rightful heir to the kingdom. To this end he lived in great pomp, procured chariots and horsemen and other appendages of royalty, and stood in the public places courting the favor of the people by the meanest arts, persuading them that their rights were not regarded by the government, and that it would be for their interest to elevate him to power, that equal justice might be administered to all. By these and other means Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. In pursuing his traitorous design, and with a pretended regard to filial duty, he asked his father's permission to go to Hebron and pay a vow which he said he had made. The unsuspicious king consented, and Absalom immediately sent men throughout Israel, who were, at a given signal, to proclaim him king in Hebron. He also took two hundred men with him from Jerusalem, though they did not know his plan, and then sent for Ahithophel, who was David's counsellor, that he might have his advice and assistance. Absalom's party increased rapidly, and intelligence of the conspiracy was communicated to the king, and so alarmed him that he fled from the city. At length David persuaded Hushai to go to Absalom, who had now come back to Jerusalem with his party, and become his servant, and when opportunity occurred to give such counsel as should defeat Ahithophel's plans and bring confusion and discomfiture upon Absalom. By a train of providential interpositions Absalom's ruin was hastened. Before David's men went out to battle with the revolted party, he gave them special charge respecting Absalom, and commanded them to deal gently with him for his father's sake. The two parties met in the wood of Ephraim, and the battle was bloody. Absalom rode upon a mule, and in passing under the thick boughs of an oak he was caught by his head in the fork or angle of two branches, and the mule passed onward, leaving him suspended in the air. Joab, one of David's chief captains, being informed of it, took three darts and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak; and they took his body and cast it into a pit in the wood, and covered it with stones.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'absalom' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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