Absalom

Absalom ( Hebrew אַבְשָׁלוֹם , Avshalom - “father of peace, peace”; Greek Αβεσσαλώμ ) - the third son of David from Maahi , daughter of Falmai (Talmai), king of Gessur ( 2 Sam. 3: 3 ). For the dishonesty of his sister, Tamari (Tamar) killed his half-brother Amnon ^[2] ; later he rebelled against his father, was defeated, while fleeing, got entangled with long hair in the branches of a tree and was killed.

Absalom
Death of Absalom (German miniature, 14th century)
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"Feast of Absalom" ( Niccolo de Simone , c. 1650)

Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar (Tamar), whom his half-brother Amnon, having fallen in love, forcibly dishonored him and then drove away from him. Absalom harbored a grudge against Amnon, and two years later, at a feast on the occasion of shearing the sheep, he ordered his servants to kill him ( 2 Sam. 13:29 ). After that, he fled to his maternal grandfather, Falmay (Talmay), king of Gessur, to Syria . After staying here for three years and receiving permission from Joab to return to his homeland, he did not show any hope for correction and achieved reconciliation with his father only by perseverance ( 2 Sam. 14 ).

Meanwhile, a rebellious plan was ripening for him to occupy the throne of his father by force. Absalom was the most beautiful man in Israel, had magnificent hair - he cut them once a year and they weighed two hundred royal shekels ( 2 Sam. 14: 25-26 ). Having won popular love by denigrating the judges of his father and promises favorable decisions in litigation if he were a judge ( 2 Sam. 15: 1-6 ), he (4 years later) raised an open uprising in Hebron ( 2 Sam. 15:10 ). A distressed father with few devotees escaped from Jerusalem . Having taken possession of the capital, Absalom on the advice of Ahitophel , a former highly respected adviser to King David, ascended to his father’s bed ( 2 Sam. 16: 20-23 ), meaning to confirm his claim to the throne, according to Eastern tradition. Ahitophel further advised that, taking part of the army, he would leave Jerusalem to overtake David’s tired camp at night and, having killed only the king, turn the rest of the people to Absalom ( 2 Kings 17: 1-4 ). But King David sent his friend, Husi the Architean, to Absalom in order to destroy the advice of Ahitophel ( 2 Sam. 16: 32-37 ), and, having entered into confidence in the impostor and recognized the plans of Ahitophel, he informed David together with his advice to leave for Jordan immediately that the king did to all his people ( 2 Sam. 17: 15-22 ). Husii advised Absalom to gather all the people of Israel and attack David and his people and destroy everyone, this was to Absalom's liking, and he, having gathered his army, also crossed the Jordan ( 2 Sam. 17: 5-14 ). Seeing that his advice was not fulfilled, Ahitophel returned to his house and committed suicide ( 2 Sam. 17:23 ). David, having gathered his warriors, wanted to go into battle with them, but they forbade him, since his life is more precious than all of them ( 2 Kings 18: 1-3 ). David ordered the soldiers to save the life of Absalom, his son ( 2 Sam. 18: 5 ). And there was a battle in the forest of Ephraim, and the people of Israel were defeated by the servants of David ( 2 Sam. 18: 6-8 ). Absalom, who was with his army, defeated near Jordan , fled on a mule through the forest, and hung, clinging with his thick hair to the branches of a large oak, and Joab pierced him with three arrows, although David strictly ordered his commander to spare the life of his son ( 2 Sam. . 18: 9-17 ). "And they took Absalom and threw him into a deep hole in the forest, and threw a huge pile of stones over him." Extremely upset by the death of his son, David mourned him in a pathetic song: “My son Absalom,” he exclaimed, “my son, my son, Absalom!” Oh, who would let me die in your place, Absalom, my son, my son! ” ( 2 Sam. 18:33 ), and all Israel should have comforted him.

Tomb of Absalom

Even during his life, Absalom erected a monument to himself in the royal valley, to preserve his memory, since he did not have a son. This monument was known by the name of Absalom ( 2 Sam. 18: 17-18 ). According to the testimony of Josephus Flavius , it was a marble pillar located two stages from Jerusalem. In the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem , an ancient monument carved over a rock is preserved, which according to legend is considered the tomb of Absalom ; but this is unlikely: its architecture apparently belongs to a later time. It is not even known whether the ancient monument of Absalom stood on the very spot on which the existing one is located.