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Father Absalom at length marched out against his father, whose army, under the command of peace; i.e.Joab, "peaceful" David's son by Maacah (2 Sam. 3:3; comp. 1 Kings 1:6). He was noted for his personal beauty and for he encountered on the extra-ordinary profusion borders of the hair [[Text:EBD:Forest|forest]] of his head (2 Sam. 14[[Text:EBD:25Ephraim,26)Wood of|Ephraim]]. The first public act Twenty thousand of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon, DavidAbsalom's eldest sonarmy were slain in that fatal battle, who had basely wronged and the rest fled. Absalom's sister Tamar. This revenge fled on a swift [[Text:EBD:Mule|mule]]; but his long flowing hair, or more probably his head, was executed at caught in the time bough of the festivities connected an [[Text:EBD:Oak|oak]], and there he was left suspended till Joab came up and pierced him through with three [[Text:EBD:Dart|darts]]. His body was then taken down and cast into a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor. David's other sons fled from [[Text:EBD:Pit|pit]] dug in the place in horrorforest, and brought a heap of [[Text:EBD:Stone|stones]] was raised over his [[Text:EBD:Grave|grave]]. When the tidings of the death result of Amnon that battle were brought to Jerusalem. Alarmed for David, as he sat impatiently at the consequences [[Text:EBD:Gate|gate]] of the actMahanaim, and he was told that Absalom fled had been slain, he gave way to his grandfather at Geshurthe [[Text:EBD:Bitter|bitter]] [[Text:EBD:Lamentation|lamentation]]: "O my son Absalom, my son, and there abode my son Absalom! would [[Text:EBD:God|God]] I had died for three years thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Sam. 318:33. Comp. Ex. 32:332; 13Rom. 9:23-383).

David mourned his absent son, now branded with the guilt of fratricide. As the result of a stratagem carried out by a woman of Tekoah, Joab received DavidAbsalom's sanction to invite Absalom back to Jerusalem. He returned accordingly, but two years elapsed before his father admitted him into his presence three sons (2 Sam. 14:28). Absalom was now probably the oldest surviving son of David, and as he was of royal descent by his mother as well as by his father, he began to aspire to the throne. His pretensions were favoured by the people. By many arts he gained their affection27; and after his return from Geshur (2 Samcomp. 1518:7; marg., R.V.18) he went up to Hebron, the old capital of Judah, along with a great body of the peoplehad all died before him, and there proclaimed himself king. The revolt was so successful that David found it necessary to quit Jerusalem and flee to Mahanaimhe left only a [[Text:EBD:Daughter|daughter]], beyond Jordan; where upon Absalom returned to Jerusalem and took possession of the throne without opposition. AhithophelTamar, who had been David's chief counsellor, deserted him and joined Absalom, whose chief counsellor he now became. Hushai also joined Absalom, but only for the purpose grandmother of trying to counteract the counsels of Ahithophel, and so to advantage David's cause. He was so far successful that by his advice, which was preferred to that of Ahithophel, Absalom delayed to march an army against his father, who thus gained time to prepare for the defence[[Text:EBD:Abijah|Abijah]].

Absalom at length marched out against his father, whose army, under the command of Joab, he encountered on the borders of the forest of Ephraim. Twenty thousand of Absalom's army were slain in that fatal battle, and the rest fled. Absalom fled on a swift mule; but his long flowing hair, or more probably his head, was caught in the bough of an oak, and there he was left suspended till Joab came up and pierced him through with three darts. His body was then taken down and cast into a pit dug in the forest, and a heap of stones was raised over his grave. When the tidings of the result of that battle were brought to David, as he sat impatiently at the gate of Mahanaim, and he was told that Absalom had been slain, he gave way to the bitter lamentation: "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Sam. 18:33. Comp. Ex. 32:32; Rom. 9:3). Absalom's three sons (2 Sam. 14:27; comp. 18:18) had all died before him, so that he left only a daughter, Tamar, who became the grandmother of Abijah. {{returnto}} [[Easton's Bible Dictionary]] | [[Absalom]]