Absalom

Biblical Account

Absalom was a son born to David in Hebron by Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (2 Samuel 3:3). His name is commonly interpreted to mean "the father is peace."

According to 2 Samuel 13, Absalom's half-brother Amnon violated Absalom's sister Tamar. Two years later, Absalom killed Amnon at a sheep-shearing feast and fled to Geshur, his mother's homeland, where he remained for three years. Joab, the commander of the army, persuaded David through a wise woman of Tekoa, and Absalom returned to Jerusalem (chapter 14). Scripture records that he was exceptionally handsome and had abundant hair (14:25–26).

Absalom met those who came to the city gate with lawsuits, "so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (15:6), and he then made himself king in Hebron. David's counselor Ahithophel joined him, and David fled Jerusalem. On Ahithophel's advice, Absalom lay with his father's concubines on the rooftop (16:22), which the narrative presents as the fulfillment of the prophecy Nathan had spoken when rebuking David for his sin (12:11). However, through a stratagem of David's friend Hushai, Ahithophel's counsel was not followed (chapter 17).

In the battle in the wood of Ephraim, Absalom was riding a mule when his head caught in an oak. Although David had ordered that he be dealt with gently, Joab killed him (18:9–15). When David heard the news, he wept, crying, "O my son Absalom … would God I had died for thee" (18:33).

Significance Within Scripture

Absalom's rebellion is read as the culmination of the misfortunes that befell David's house after the Bathsheba affair. The superscription of Psalm 3 reads, "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." In 1 Kings 15:2 and 2 Chronicles 11:20–21, Maacah, the wife of Rehoboam, is identified as the daughter of Absalom (Abishalom). The New Testament does not mention Absalom directly.

Interpretations and Points of Discussion

• The hair story: It is commonly said that he died when the hair he prided himself on caught in a tree, but the text states only that "his head caught." The interpretation linking the incident to his hair also appears in Jewish traditional sources and is widely used as a lesson against pride.
• Record of his children: 14:27 states that he had three sons and one daughter, while 18:18 says he erected a pillar because he had no son to keep his name in remembrance. A common interpretation is that his sons died young.
• Absalom's Tomb: A monument known as "Absalom's Tomb" stands in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem, but it is generally regarded as dating from a much later period.
• David's responsibility: Some interpreters hold that the father's sin and permissiveness produced the tragedy, while others emphasize Absalom's own ambition and pride; both readings are common.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Absalom is mentioned chiefly in sermons on the fate of pride and ambition, the consequences of sin within the family, and David's fatherly love in weeping for his rebellious son. David's lament in 2 Samuel 18:33 is frequently cited as an illustration of a parent's love or of God's love. In Sunday schools, the scene of Absalom's hair caught in the tree is often presented as a cautionary tale against pride.