Absalom

Absalom - son of King David
2 Samuel 13-18

Absalom was the son of King David. There was none so handsome in all Israel as Absalom. He had no blemish on him, and each year, when he cut his hair, there was so much it weighed 6 1/2 pounds.

Absalom had a sister named Tamar, and one day his brother Amnon treated Tamar very badly, and after two years Absalom told his servants to kill Amnon because of what he had done to Tamar. And after that Absalom fled to Geshur, and was there for three years. But David longed for Absolom.

And after three years David sent a man called Joab to go and get Absalom from Geshur, and Joab brought Absalom back to Jerusalem, but Absalom was sent to his own house and did not see his father the king for two years. After that, Absalom wanted to be judge, so if someone came to see the king for judgment, Absalom would call him and tell him there was no one to hear his case and Absalom said he would do the man justice, and when men bowed before him, he would put out his hand, and so after a time Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Now after forty years, Absalom went to Hebron and sent spies through all the tribes of Israel and made secret plans to become king in place of his father, king David. And king David soon heard that the hearts of the men of Israel were with Absalom. And when king David heard that, he fled, unless Absalom came with his men and destroyed the city of Jerusalem. And so David fled and went to the top of Mount Olivet, and he worshipped God, and Absalom came to Jerusalem.

And so there was war between David and Absalom, and David divided his men into three sections and was going to go forth to battle himself, but the people said to him "You shall not go forth: for if we flee they will not care if half of us die, but you are worth ten thousand of us" and so David agreed to stay..

And David called his men Joab, Abishai and Ittai and told them to "deal gently for my sake with Absalom." and all the people heard David tell his men this.

So the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. And Absalom met the servants of David riding on a mule. And the mule went under the great branches of an oak tree and Absalom's head got stuck in the tree and he was lifted up between heaven and the earth and the mule went away. One of Joab's men saw it happen and went to tell him. Joab asked the man why he did not kill Absalom, and the man said he would not kill the son of the king because king David told them to deal gently with Absalom.

But Joab took three arrows in his hand and killed Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree. And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit and put a large pile of stones on him and then they ran away to their tents.

But king David learned that Absalom was killed, and he wept, and said "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son. And he wept and mourned for his son.

Memory Verse: 2 Samuel 18:3 "...they will not care if half of us die, but you are worth ten thousand of us....."

Questions:
1 Why did Absalom flee to Geshur?
2 How long was Absalom a judge?
3 Why did king David flee Jerusalem?
4 How did Absalom get caught in the oak tree?
5 What did king David tell his men to do with Absalom? and what did Joab do?

Answers:
1 Because he had his brother Amnon killed.
2 Forty years.
3 Because Absalom wanted to be king and was coming to Jerusalem to make war.
4 His mule went under the tree and his head got caught in the branches
5 King David told his men to deal gently with Absalom. Joab killed Absalom and then buried him.

Vicki C. Gross/Jan'04