The Story

Absalom, David’s third son, is a character painted in the vivid and tragic hues of Scripture. He is introduced as a man of striking appearance, a veritable Adonis born in Hebron to Maacah (2 Sam. 3:2-3), reminiscent of Saul’s good looks described in 1 Samuel 9:2. Absalom grows into a handsome man with a mane of hair. He also has no blemishes (2 Sam. 14:25-26), a curious detail that calls to mind the Priests who minister in the Tabernacle because they have “no blemish.” Acceptable sacrifices also have “no blemish” (Lev. 21:17, 18, 21, 23; 22:20 21, 25; Dt. 15:21; 17:1; 2 Sam. 14:25).

Absalom’s brother, Amnon, has a perverted preoccupation with his half-sister, Tamar. In an elaborate ruse, Amnon pretends to be sick to induce Tamar to care for him. Amnon “loves” Tamar (2 Sam. 13:4). But it’s not God’s love. It’s not Christ’s love. It’s more like the love Orual has for Psyche in C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, a love that hurts and devours. In Amnon’s case, it’s lust alone. Amnon rapes Tamar and then sends her away in disgrace. Tamar seeks to turn Amnon’s wicked act into a family by encouraging Amnon to marry her. Instead, Amnon removes Tamar from his presence, forcing her to live a stained and desolate life with her brother, Absalom (2 Sam. 13:20).

Absalom hates his half-brother because of the heinous sin and takes Tamar in to care for her. Absalom suppresses his rage and instructs Tamar not to seek revenge. In a classic case of “Do what I say, not what I do,” Absalom undertakes a long strategy of patient diplomacy as a cloak for vengeance. He doesn’t expect David to execute justice, perhaps because David has his own history of sexual sin with Bathsheba, which makes him a passive father. Amnon is the heir apparent to the throne and has immunity from prosecution. Scripture doesn’t say when Absalom’s designs on Israel’s throne take root, but killing the next in line to the throne invites thoughts of a coup d’état. Two years after the rape, after much plotting and planning, David’s sons gather at a sheepshearing, where Absalom orders the servants to kill the drunk Amnon (2 Sam. 13:1-29).

One son, wicked through and through, is dead at the hands of another son. Complicated situations beget complicated emotions, even for a king. David mourns bitterly, and Absalom flees to his grandfather Talmai, king of Geshur (2 Sam. 13:21-39) where he remains for three years. Geshur is northeast of the Sea of Galilee, which means Absalom is moving in the direction of Babylon. After three years, the fires of vengeance in David’s heart cool, replaced by the fatherly yearning for a wayward son (2 Samuel 13:34-39). Joab, the shrewd strategist, orchestrates Absalom’s return to Jerusalem in a delicate dance of politics and paternal love. He enlists the aid of a wise woman from Tekoa, who weaves a story to soften David's resolve (2 Samuel 14:2-21). Absalom returns but remains alienated from David for two more years (2 Sam. 14:28). Desperation drives him to drastic measures. Denied an audience with David, he sets Joab’s field ablaze (2 Samuel 14:30). This fiery act forces Joab’s hand, and he brings the estranged father and son face to face. Father and son meet after five long years. Absalom bows with his face to the ground, and the king kisses his son (2 Sam. 14:33). While a spirit of retribution dissipates in David’s heart, a fire of revenge smolders in Absalom’s heart.

The relationship seems to be restored. But Absalom has other plans. David’s kingdom is glorious, but not perfect. Absalom begins to gain influence over the men of Israel by exploiting David’s misprision. Over four years (2 Sam. 15:7), Absalom uses the inefficiencies and problems to his advantage. Israel needs more judges to solve disputes. There is a backlog of legal cases. David, fresh off the building of his palace, is too busy to notice (2 Sam. 15:3-4). Absalom begins to act like the king right under David’s nose, stepping in with astute politicking. He gradually wins the loyalty of Israel with his chariot riding, assembling men, passive-aggressive criticism of David, and welcoming man’s praise (2 Sam. 15:1-6).

Absalom desires control and power. He travels to Hebron under the pretense of offering a sacrifice. Upon arrival, he declares himself king in the same city David first did thirty-five years earlier (2 Sam. 15:7-12). Absalom’s disregard for his father’s authority furthers his sense of entitlement to the throne. He co-opts David’s chief counselor, Ahithophel. The betrayer counsels Absalom to take power (2 Sam. 15:12; 16:23). Ahithophel’s traitorous advice fails, and he hangs himself, foreshadowing the fate of a future traitor (Mt. 26:14-16; 27:5). Absalom publicly signals a transfer of power by laying with David’s concubines (2 Sam. 16:1-22). David flees across the Kidron to the Transjordan as Absalom considers pursuing David with troops (2 Sam. 17). David devises a plan of spy games by sending his friend, Hushai, to Absalom as a double agent. Hushai pretends to defect to Absalom and offers advice different from Ahithophel’s. Hushai, skilled at cloak-and-dagger, also smuggles intelligence to David about the movement and strategy of Absalom.

Absalom crosses the Jordan with his army in pursuit of David, riding a mule. David’s troops defeat Absalom in a one-day battle. Absalom’s mule runs under the branches of a huge oak tree, where Absalom’s head catches in the oak, and he is left dangling between heaven and earth, the mule running right out from under him. Just as Samson’s long hair is part of his defeat (Jud. 16:19), so is Absalom defeated most inconceivably, with his hair entangled in a tree. A soldier sees him and reports to Joab that Absalom hangs from an oak tree. Joab grabs three knives and stabs Absalom in the heart. By then, Absalom is surrounded by ten of Joab’s armor-bearers who hack away at him. Joab’s men throw the body in a ravine and cover it with stones (2 Sam. 18:1-18).

The great battle between the forces of the rebellious son and the forces of the father is complete. Yet the father, David, goes into great mourning. He had instructed his generals to deal gently with Absalom. This is David’s son, after all, a son who redeems his sister—David’s daughter—and avenges her death. Joab, in outright disobedience of David’s orders, stabbed Absalom three times rather than help him down from the tree. David’s expression of grief is some of the most intense recorded in all of the Bible, “And the king is deeply moved and goes up to the chamber over the gate and weeps. And as he goes, he says, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son” (2 Sam. 18:33)! For David, the day of victory is a day of great sorrow because his beloved son dies (2 Sam. 19:2, 4). To Joab, David rules as a paradoxical figure. The king takes his son’s death hard (2 Sam. 19:6-7) and goes on to show mercy to his enemies, pardoning them for their involvement in the coup (2 Sam. 19:16-43).

The Theology

There are the commands of God, known to man, which are distinct from the decrees of God, unknown to man (Dt. 29:29). God’s sovereign activity runs parallel to the life of Absalom (Prov. 20:24). Absalom’s sinful motives weren’t enough to thwart God’s will for Solomon to be David’s successor. Nathan prophesied that Absalom would rebel and that David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25) would die by the sword. The events of Absalom’s life are the consequences of David’s sin (2 Sam 12:10–12). Absalom’s grasp for power was motivated by arrogance, dupery, and political opportunism. Despite the imperfections of David’s leadership, God’s purpose was for David to be king. Yahweh ordained Absalom’s downfall (2 Sam 17:14) and preserved David’s hegemony.

Second Samuel 1-9 presents David as the ideal king under the blessing of Yahweh. Second Samuel 10-24 presents David under curse. The fatal change of David’s reign is his sin with Bathsheba. In this one act, David’s sins multiply: Abuse of power, lust, adultery, dishonesty, treachery, assassination, and cover-up. When Samuel confronted Saul with his sin, the King tried to abate blame and make deals. In contrast, when Nathan confronts his sin, David confesses and receives God’s forgiveness. But there are still consequences for sin (2 Sam. 12:1-14).

Walter Brueggemann argues that there is a parallel between the life of Absalom and the events in Genesis 2 – 11. Absalom hates Amnon; Cain hates Abel. Absalom murders Amnon; Cain murders Abel. Absalom is spared by David; Cain is spared by God. Absalom brings evil to David’s Dynasty; Noah’s generation is evil. God mediates for David; God mediates for Noah. Absalom captures the concubines of David; Ham sees the nakedness of Noah. David makes a new beginning; God promises a new beginning and reminds us to view the world with a combination of wonder and welcome.

But the parallels don’t stop by looking back. They also extend forward. The death of Absalom and the death of Christ are strikingly alike and unalike at the same time. Both hung on a tree, suspended between heaven and earth, forsaken by men and God. Both had followers. Absalom’s troops scattered, never to be regathered. Jesus’s followers scattered, but were soon regathered. Both were buried: Absalom in a pit covered with many small stones; and Jesus in a tomb with one big stone that was rolled away. Both had followers who were offered silver. The unnamed man wouldn’t accept a thousand pieces of silver to betray Absalom. Judas accepted thirty pieces of silver to betray Christ. Both were pierced by a soldier. Absalom was pierced three times. Jesus was pierced one time.

Jesus, the perfect one, can only ever be represented by a deficient type. Absalom’s relationship with his father, David, is likewise a salmagundi of typology for the Heavenly Father’s relationship with his Son Incarnate. The typology moves from one character to the next; from one character’s actions to the next action. David’s beloved son died in a tree pierced three times. His victory is overcome with grief. There are traitors and tempters. There is mercy and judgment. David is at times a type of the Heavenly Father, such as his display of love and mourning over his son. At other times, David is a type of Jesus when he is run out of his throne seat by those who should respect God’s Anointed. At times, Absalom reminds us of Christ. At other times, Absalom reminds us of ourselves when we spurn the Lordship of the Heavenly Father. One lesson from the conspiracy of Absalom is that there is no solace in the selfish attempt to dethrone God’s Anointed.

Bibliography

Brueggemann, Walter. “David and His Theologian.” Catholic Bible Quarterly 30 (1968): 156–81.

Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel (Baker Academic, 2008), 261-265, 278, 284-288.

Reck, J. (2016). “Absalom, Son of David.”. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

Robinson, Eric, Death on a Tree: Absalom as Jesus-Type. Theopolis Institute, Sept. 2020.