Speaker 1: He was the most beautiful man in all of Israel.
Speaker 1: From the crown of his head to the soles of
Speaker 1: his feet. There was no flaw in him, and the
Speaker 1: people adored him. Women admired him, soldiers followed him. His
Speaker 1: own father, the Great King David, loved him above almost
Speaker 1: any other. He had everything, royal blood, a stunning face,
Speaker 1: a magnetic charm that drew crowds wherever he walked by
Speaker 1: every measure. Absalom should have been the pride of the kingdom. Instead,
Speaker 1: he became its nightmare. How does a king's most beloved
Speaker 1: son turn into the enemy who hunts him across the wilderness?
Speaker 1: How does the handsomest prince in the land end up
Speaker 1: hanging from the branches of an oak tree pierced through
Speaker 1: the heart. Behind that perfect face lay a wound, a
Speaker 1: secret rage, and an ambition that would set a throne
Speaker 1: on fire and break a father's heart forever. This is
Speaker 1: the story of Absalom, beauty, betrayal, and a rebellion that
Speaker 1: scarred the house of David, and it begins with a
Speaker 1: crime no one saw coming. King David ruled over Israel,
Speaker 1: and his palace was full of children. He had many
Speaker 1: wives and From them came many sons and daughters. They
Speaker 1: lived together under one roof, but they were not truly close.
Speaker 1: Each son had his own mother, his own dreams, and
Speaker 1: his own quiet hopes about who would one day wear
Speaker 1: the crown. One of those sons stood out from all
Speaker 1: the rest. His name was Absalom. People could not stop
Speaker 1: talking about how handsome he was, the Bible tells us
Speaker 1: in Second Samuel fourteen twenty five. In all Israel, there
Speaker 1: was not a man so much praised for his beauty
Speaker 1: as Absalom. From the soul of his foot even to
Speaker 1: the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him.
Speaker 1: He was perfect to look at. People turned their heads
Speaker 1: when he walked by, and his hair was famous all
Speaker 1: on its own. It was so thick and heavy that
Speaker 1: when he cut it once a year, the weight of
Speaker 1: it was talked about across the land. Absalom carried himself
Speaker 1: like a young man who already believed a throne was
Speaker 1: waiting for him. David loved this son very much. The
Speaker 1: people admired him. Everything about Absalom seemed bright and golden.
Speaker 1: But a beautiful face can hide a dark heart behind
Speaker 1: that perfect smile. A storm was already forming, and before
Speaker 1: it was over, it would tear the kingdom apart and
Speaker 1: break the heart of the king himself. In that same
Speaker 1: house lived another son named Amnon. He was David's oldest son,
Speaker 1: the firstborn, the one who stood first in line for
Speaker 1: the throne. He had everything a young man could want.
Speaker 1: But Amnon let a sickness grow in his heart, and
Speaker 1: it was not the kind doctor's can cure. He wanted
Speaker 1: his half sister Tamar. She was the sister of Absalom,
Speaker 1: a daughter of the king, young and beautiful and pure.
Speaker 1: As a daughter of the royal house, she was kept
Speaker 1: apart and protected the way unmarried princesses were in those days.
Speaker 1: What Amnon felt was not real love. It was a
Speaker 1: craving that would not let him rest. He thought about
Speaker 1: Tamar all the time. He could not eat, he could
Speaker 1: not sleep. The wanting ate away at him until it
Speaker 1: showed on his body. The Bible says in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: thirteen two, and Amnon was so vexed that he fell
Speaker 1: sick for his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin,
Speaker 1: and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything
Speaker 1: to her. Day by day he grew thinner and paler.
Speaker 1: He looked like a man wasting away from some hidden illness,
Speaker 1: and in a way he was. He was sick in
Speaker 1: his soul, eaten alive by a desire he had fed
Speaker 1: instead of fort. He could not have Tamar, and not
Speaker 1: being able to have her only made him want her more.
Speaker 1: Amnon did not suffer alone. He had a friend, his cousin, Jonadab,
Speaker 1: the son of David's brother. Jonadab was a smart man,
Speaker 1: but he used his cleverness to do harm instead of good.
Speaker 1: He was the kind of friend who, when you are
Speaker 1: about to fall off a cliff, gives you a push
Speaker 1: instead of pulling you back. Jonadab noticed how worn out
Speaker 1: and miserable Amnon looked every morning, and he wanted to
Speaker 1: know why. The Bible records his question in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: thirteen four, and he said, unto him, why art thou,
Speaker 1: being the King's son, lean from day to day? Wilt
Speaker 1: thou not tell me? So? Amnon told him the truth.
Speaker 1: He admitted that he was burning with desire for Tamar,
Speaker 1: the sister of his brother Absalom. A real friend would
Speaker 1: have been horrified. A real friend would have warned him
Speaker 1: to stop before he destroyed himself. And an innocent girl.
Speaker 1: But Jonadab did the opposite. He leaned in and handed
Speaker 1: Amnon a plan. He told Amnon to lie down and
Speaker 1: pretend to be sick when the king came to visit.
Speaker 1: Amnon was to ask his father to send Tamar to
Speaker 1: come and prepare food for him with her own hand.
Speaker 1: It was a trap, dressed up to look like a
Speaker 1: harmless request from a sick son, and Amnon grabbed hold
Speaker 1: of it right away with no hesitation at all. The
Speaker 1: plan to harm Tamar had begun, and it came from
Speaker 1: someone she trusted, some one inside the family. So Amnon
Speaker 1: did exactly what his cousin told him to do. He
Speaker 1: lay down on his bed and acted sick. Soon word
Speaker 1: reached the palace that the king's oldest son was unwell
Speaker 1: and could not get up. When David heard this, he
Speaker 1: came to see his son, just as a loving father would.
Speaker 1: He found Amnon lying there, looking weak and pale, and
Speaker 1: he asked what he could do for him. Then Amnon
Speaker 1: made his request, using the very words Jonadab had given him.
Speaker 1: The Bible tells us in Second Samuel thirteen six. So
Speaker 1: Amnon lay down and made himself sick, And when the
Speaker 1: king was come to see him. Amnon said, unto the King,
Speaker 1: I pray thee let Tamar, my sister, come and make
Speaker 1: me a couple of cake in my sight, that I
Speaker 1: may eat at her hand. It seemed like such a
Speaker 1: small thing, a sick man wanting comfort food made by
Speaker 1: a familiar hand. David did not suspect anything. He saw
Speaker 1: only a son who needed care and a simple way
Speaker 1: to help him feel better. So the king sent a
Speaker 1: message into the palace where the women lived. He told
Speaker 1: Tamar to go to her brother's house and prepare food
Speaker 1: for him, and Tamar obeyed. She was a good daughter,
Speaker 1: faithful to her father, and willing to help a brother
Speaker 1: she believed was sick. She came to Amnon's house, took
Speaker 1: the dough, kneaded it with her own hands, shaped the cakes,
Speaker 1: and baked them right in front of him. She did
Speaker 1: everything she was asked, with no idea of the danger
Speaker 1: waiting for her behind that door. When the cakes were ready,
Speaker 1: Tamar brought them to Amnon, but he would not eat. Instead,
Speaker 1: he gave a sudden order for everyone to leave the room.
Speaker 1: One by one. The servants walked out until Tamar was
Speaker 1: left alone with her brother then Amnon dropped the act.
Speaker 1: He told her to bring the food close to him
Speaker 1: into the inner room. Still trusting him, she carried it near,
Speaker 1: and the moment she came close, he grabbed her. Tamar
Speaker 1: fought back with all her strength, and she begged him.
Speaker 1: The Bible records her words in Second Samuel thirteen twelve thirteen,
Speaker 1: and she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me,
Speaker 1: for no such thing ought to be done in Israel.
Speaker 1: Do not thou this folly? And I whither shall I
Speaker 1: cause my shame to go? And as for thee, thou
Speaker 1: shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. She
Speaker 1: gave him every reason to stop. She even told him
Speaker 1: to ask the king first, but Amnon would not listen
Speaker 1: to a single word. He was stronger than she was,
Speaker 1: and he forced himself on her. And then came the
Speaker 1: most shocking part of all the moment his sin was done,
Speaker 1: the desire that had burned in him for so long
Speaker 1: suddenly turned into something far worse. He hated her. Two
Speaker 1: Samuel the thirteen fifteen says, then Amnon hated her exceedingly,
Speaker 1: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater
Speaker 1: than the love wherewith he had loved her, and he
Speaker 1: coldly told her to get up and get out. Some
Speaker 1: stories don't just inform, they stay with you. If something
Speaker 1: stirred in your spirit just now you may be ready
Speaker 1: for echoes daily, where every morning you go deeper into
Speaker 1: one Bible story, the history behind it, the details most
Speaker 1: believers never learn, and what it means for your walk
Speaker 1: to day daily readings. Biblical companions who teach us they
Speaker 1: walk with you, and a community of pilgrims learning together.
Speaker 1: The link is in the first pinned comment, but the
Speaker 1: founding door is open only for a limited time. Tamar
Speaker 1: was crushed, but she made one last plea. She told
Speaker 1: Amnon that throwing her out would be an even greater
Speaker 1: wrong than what he had already done. But Amnon refused
Speaker 1: to hear it. He called for his servant and gave
Speaker 1: a cruel command. The Bible says in Second Samuel thirteen seventeen.
Speaker 1: Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said,
Speaker 1: put now this woman out from me, and bolt the
Speaker 1: door after her. So the servant pushed her out and
Speaker 1: locked the door behind her. The honored daughter of the
Speaker 1: king was thrown into the street like she was nothing.
Speaker 1: In her deep grief, Tamar did what mourners did in
Speaker 1: those days. She tore the beautiful robe that marked her
Speaker 1: as a pure daughter of the king, put ashes on
Speaker 1: her head, and walked away, crying with her hand on
Speaker 1: her head. It was Absalom who found her. He saw
Speaker 1: her state and understood at once what had happened. He
Speaker 1: asked if Amnon had done this to her, and then
Speaker 1: he spoke words that should have alarmed any one who
Speaker 1: heard them. Second Samuel thirteen twenty tells us and Absalom,
Speaker 1: her brother, said, unto her, hath Amnon, thy brother, been
Speaker 1: with thee. But hold now thy peace, my sister. He
Speaker 1: is thy brother, regard not this thing. So Tamar remained
Speaker 1: desolate in her brother Absalom's house. He took her into
Speaker 1: his own home, where she lived as a broken woman.
Speaker 1: But Absalom's calm was not peace. Something cold and patient
Speaker 1: had already begun to grow inside him. The news did
Speaker 1: not stay hidden. It moved through the palace until it
Speaker 1: reached the king himself. And when David heard what had
Speaker 1: been done to his daughter, he was furious, the Bible
Speaker 1: says in Second Samuel thirteen twenty one. But when King
Speaker 1: David heard of all these things. He was very wroth.
Speaker 1: But here is where the King failed. Anger is not
Speaker 1: the same as justice. David's anger burned hot, yet he
Speaker 1: did nothing with it. He did not call Amnon to
Speaker 1: answer for his crime. He did not punish him. He
Speaker 1: did not even confront him. The king, who once stood
Speaker 1: so bravely against giants, now stood frozen before the sin
Speaker 1: in side his own home. The Bible does not tell
Speaker 1: us exactly why David held back. Maybe it was because
Speaker 1: Amnon was his first born and he loved him too
Speaker 1: much to face the truth. Maybe it was weakness. Maybe
Speaker 1: it was the heavy memory of his own past mistakes,
Speaker 1: which can rob a man of the courage to judge
Speaker 1: someone else. Whatever the reason, the result was the same.
Speaker 1: The crime went unpunished, and the wound was left wide open,
Speaker 1: and someone was watching all of it. Absalom saw his
Speaker 1: father's anger flare up and then fade into silence. He
Speaker 1: saw justice denied to his sister. He saw Amnon go
Speaker 1: on living as if nothing had happened. To Absalom, his
Speaker 1: father's silence was an answer of its own. If the
Speaker 1: king would not act, then he decided that he would.
Speaker 1: From that day on, Absalom said nothing to Amnon, not
Speaker 1: one word. The Bible tells us in Second Samuel thirteen
Speaker 1: twenty two, and Absol Sulam spake unto his brother Amnon,
Speaker 1: neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon because he
Speaker 1: had forced his sister Tamar. To everyone watching, it looked
Speaker 1: like the storm had passed. The brothers walked through the
Speaker 1: same court and attended the same events, and it seemed
Speaker 1: like the whole thing had been forgotten. Peace appeared to
Speaker 1: have returned to the house of David, but it was
Speaker 1: only on the surface. Behind Absalom's calm face, a deep
Speaker 1: and steady hatred had taken root. He had not forgotten
Speaker 1: for even one moment. Yet he did not lash out,
Speaker 1: He did not act in anger. He understood something that
Speaker 1: hot headed people never learn. Patience can be sharper than
Speaker 1: any sword, and the one who is willing to wait
Speaker 1: can strike with deadly aim. So Absalom waited. One year
Speaker 1: went by, the household relaxed, and the memory began to fade.
Speaker 1: Then a second year went by. For two full years,
Speaker 1: he carried the wound of his sister's shame, letting it
Speaker 1: grow hard and cold, inside him. He smiled when a
Speaker 1: smile was needed, He kept quiet when quiet was expected.
Speaker 1: He played the part of the prince who had let
Speaker 1: it all go, and the whole time he was watching
Speaker 1: and waiting, getting ready for the right moment to strike.
Speaker 1: After two long years of waiting, the moment Absalom had
Speaker 1: been planning for finally arrived. It was sheep shearing time,
Speaker 1: and in those days that was one of the happiest
Speaker 1: seasons of the year. The wool was gathered, the work
Speaker 1: was rewarded, and people throw big feasts to celebrate. It
Speaker 1: was a time of music, food, and laughter, and it
Speaker 1: was the perfect cover for what Absalom had in mind.
Speaker 1: He decided to host a grand feast and invite all
Speaker 1: of the king's sons. But before he gathered his brothers,
Speaker 1: he went to his father with a careful request. He
Speaker 1: wanted the king himself to come along with his servants.
Speaker 1: The Bible tells us in Second Samuel thirteen twenty four,
Speaker 1: and Absalom came to the king and said, behold, now,
Speaker 1: thy servant hath sheep's hearers. Let the king, I beseech
Speaker 1: thee and his servants go with thy servant. David said no,
Speaker 1: he did not want to burden his son with such
Speaker 1: a large group. The Bible records his answer in Second
Speaker 1: Samuel thirteen twenty five. And the king said to Absalom, nay,
Speaker 1: my son, let us not all now go, lest we
Speaker 1: be chargeable unto THEE. And he pressed him, howbeit he
Speaker 1: would not go, but blessed him. Absalom pushed, but his
Speaker 1: father would not change his mind. So Absalom moved to
Speaker 1: the real heart of his plan. He asked that one
Speaker 1: specific brother be allowed to come instead. The Bible says
Speaker 1: in Second Samuel thirteen twenty six, then said, Absalom, if
Speaker 1: not I pray THEE, let my brother Amnon go with us.
Speaker 1: And the king said, unto him, why should he go
Speaker 1: with thee? It was an odd request, and for just
Speaker 1: a moment something seemed to flicker in the King's mind,
Speaker 1: Why Amnon? Why single him out? But Absalom kept pressing,
Speaker 1: smooth and calm, until David gave in. The king sent
Speaker 1: Amnon and all the rest of his sons to the celebration.
Speaker 1: Not one of them knew that this feast had been
Speaker 1: built around a single deadly purpose, and that the guest
Speaker 1: of honor was already a marked man. The feast began
Speaker 1: like any other. The tables were full, the wine was poured,
Speaker 1: and the sound of celebration filled the air. The king's
Speaker 1: sons relaxed and enjoyed themselves, far from the palace and
Speaker 1: far from any worry. Amnon, the first born, ate and
Speaker 1: drank freely. He had no idea that every cup he
Speaker 1: lifted brought him closer to the end. He thought he
Speaker 1: was simply a guest at his brother's party. He did
Speaker 1: not know he was the reason the party existed at all.
Speaker 1: While the others laughed, Absalom watched. For two years he
Speaker 1: had worn a mask, and now the moment behind that
Speaker 1: mask had come. He had already gathered his servants and
Speaker 1: given them their orders, clear and cold. They were to
Speaker 1: wait for his word, and they were not to lose
Speaker 1: their nerve. The Bible records his instructions in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: thirteen twenty eight. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying,
Speaker 1: mark ye, now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine,
Speaker 1: and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him.
Speaker 1: Fear not. Have not I commanded you be courageous and
Speaker 1: be valiant. So they waited watching Amnon grow louder and
Speaker 1: more careless with each drink, And when the moment was right,
Speaker 1: Absalom gave the signal. His men moved at once, the
Speaker 1: Bible tells us in Second Samuel thirteen twenty nine, And
Speaker 1: the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded.
Speaker 1: Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat
Speaker 1: him up upon his mule and fled. In a single heartbeat,
Speaker 1: the joy of the feast shattered. Amnon lay dead among
Speaker 1: the dishes and the spilled wine. The other princes leaped
Speaker 1: up in terror, scrambling on to their mules and scattering
Speaker 1: into the night. The revenge that had been hiding silently
Speaker 1: for two years had been carried out in full view
Speaker 1: of them. All the terrified sons rode hard for Jerusalem,
Speaker 1: but rumor flew even faster than their mules. While they
Speaker 1: were still on the road, a report reached the palace,
Speaker 1: and it was far worse than what had actually happened,
Speaker 1: the Bible tells us in cessing Samuel thirteen thirty. And
Speaker 1: it came to pass while they were in the way
Speaker 1: that Tidings came to David, saying Absalom hath slain all
Speaker 1: the king's sons, and there is not one of them left,
Speaker 1: all of them, not one left alive. Picture the king
Speaker 1: hearing those words, every sun gone in a single afternoon.
Speaker 1: The grief hit him like a crushing wait, the Bible
Speaker 1: says in Second Samuel thirteen thirty one. Then the king
Speaker 1: arose and tear his garments and lay on the earth,
Speaker 1: and all his servants stood by with their clothes. Rent
Speaker 1: David lay on the ground, his robes torn, his servants
Speaker 1: standing around him in stunned silence, their own clothes ripped
Speaker 1: in shared sorrow. The whole house seemed swallowed by mourning.
Speaker 1: But there was one man who knew the report was wrong.
Speaker 1: Ju Nadab, the same clever cousin who had whispered the
Speaker 1: very first plan that started this whole tragedy, stepped forward.
Speaker 1: He had known what was coming. He spoke up to
Speaker 1: calm the king, the Bible says in Second Samuel thirteen
Speaker 1: thirty two thirty three. And Jonadab, the son of Shameah,
Speaker 1: David's brother, answered and said, let not, my lord suppose
Speaker 1: that they have slain all the young men the king's sons.
Speaker 1: For Amnon only is dead. Now. Therefore, let not my
Speaker 1: lord the king take the thing to his heart to
Speaker 1: think that all the king's sons are dead, For Amnon
Speaker 1: only is dead. He told the truth. Only Amnon had died,
Speaker 1: and Absalom had been planning it since the day his
Speaker 1: sister was wronged. And just as he finished speaking, the
Speaker 1: missing sons came into view, the Bible tells us in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel thirteen thirty six. And it came to pass
Speaker 1: as soon as he had made an end of speaking.
Speaker 1: That behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their
Speaker 1: voice and wept, And the king also and all his
Speaker 1: servants wept very sore. The grief was real, but at
Speaker 1: least the worst report had not been true. While the
Speaker 1: palace was drowning in tears, Absalom was already gone. He
Speaker 1: knew there was no staying after what he had done,
Speaker 1: so he ran far away to find safety, the Bible
Speaker 1: tells us in Second Samuel thirteen thirty seven thirty eight.
Speaker 1: But Absalom fled and went to Talmi, the son of Amihud,
Speaker 1: king of Gesha, and David mourned for his son every day,
Speaker 1: So Absalom fled and went to Gesher, and was there
Speaker 1: three years. Gesher was the land of Absalom's grandfather, on
Speaker 1: his mother's side, a place where no one could touch him.
Speaker 1: There he settled in as an exile, and three long
Speaker 1: years slipped by. Meanwhile, something quietly shifted inside the king.
Speaker 1: At first, his grief was for Amnon, the son he
Speaker 1: had buried, But grief does not stay still. As the
Speaker 1: seasons turned, the sharp pain of loss began to fade,
Speaker 1: and in its place rose a different ache, a longing
Speaker 1: for the son who was far away. The Bible says
Speaker 1: in Second Samuel thirteen thirty nine, and the soul of
Speaker 1: King David longed to go forth unto Absalom, for he
Speaker 1: was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead. It is
Speaker 1: a strange and tender truth about a father's heart. The
Speaker 1: son David now missed was the very one who had
Speaker 1: brought all this sorrow upon the house. Absalom was a murderer,
Speaker 1: a fugitive, the cause of all this pain. And yet
Speaker 1: David's heart reached across the miles toward Gesher, aching to
Speaker 1: see his beautiful son again. One man read the king's
Speaker 1: heart clearly. His name was Joab, the commander of the army,
Speaker 1: a sharp and practical leader who had served David for years.
Speaker 1: He could see that the king secretly longed for Absalom,
Speaker 1: and he came up with a clever way to nudge
Speaker 1: his master toward bringing the young man home. The Bible
Speaker 1: opens the scene in Second Samuel fourteen one two. Now Joab,
Speaker 1: the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king's heart was
Speaker 1: toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Tacoa and fetched thence
Speaker 1: a wise woman, and said, unto her, I pray thee
Speaker 1: feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now
Speaker 1: mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be
Speaker 1: as a woman that had a long time mourned for
Speaker 1: the dead. Joea A dressed her in grief and put
Speaker 1: words in her mouth. She came before the king with
Speaker 1: a sad invented story. She said she was a widow
Speaker 1: with two sons, and that one had struck the other
Speaker 1: dead in a quarrel out in the field. Now the
Speaker 1: rest of the family demanded the surviving son's life, which
Speaker 1: would leave her completely alone. The Bible records her plea
Speaker 1: in Second Samuel fourteen seven, and the whole family is
Speaker 1: risen against thine handmaid. And they said, deliver him that
Speaker 1: smote his brother, that we may kill him for the
Speaker 1: life of his brother whom he slew, And we will
Speaker 1: destroy the air also, and so they shall quench my
Speaker 1: coal which is left. David promised to protect her son.
Speaker 1: The woman pressed until he swore it plainly. The Bible
Speaker 1: says in Second Samuel fourteen eleven. Then said she I
Speaker 1: pray thee let the king remember the Lord thy God,
Speaker 1: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of
Speaker 1: thy son fall to the earth. Then she turned the
Speaker 1: whole story around and aimed it at the king himself.
Speaker 1: The Bible records her words in Second Samuel fourteen thirteen.
Speaker 1: And the woman said, wherefore then hast thou thought such
Speaker 1: a thing against the people of God? For the King
Speaker 1: doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in
Speaker 1: that the King doth not fetch home again is banished.
Speaker 1: She reminded him gently that life cannot be undone in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel fourteen fourteen, for we must needs die, and
Speaker 1: are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be
Speaker 1: gathered up again. Her point landed. She was telling David
Speaker 1: that he was doing to his own son what he
Speaker 1: had just promised to prevent for hers. The king saw
Speaker 1: through it at once and asked if Joab was behind it.
Speaker 1: She admitted he was. The clever plan had worked. The
Speaker 1: king turned to his commander and gave the word. The
Speaker 1: Bible says in Second Samuel fourteen twenty one, and the
Speaker 1: king said, unto Joab, Behold, now I have done this thing.
Speaker 1: Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. Joab was overjoyed.
Speaker 1: He fell to the ground, blessed the king, and hurried
Speaker 1: off to Gesher to fetch Absalom. After three years in
Speaker 1: a foreign land, the exile was finally coming home, but
Speaker 1: it was not the warm welcome Absalom might have dreamed of.
Speaker 1: David set one painful condition, the Bible tells us in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel fourteen twenty four. And the king said, let
Speaker 1: him turn to his own house, and let him not
Speaker 1: see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house
Speaker 1: and saw not the king's face. So Absalom came back
Speaker 1: to Jerusalem. Yet the door to his father stayed shut.
Speaker 1: He lived in his own house, only steps from the palace,
Speaker 1: breathing the same city air as the king, and still
Speaker 1: a wall stood between them. He was home, but he
Speaker 1: was not forgiven. He had his freedom, but not his
Speaker 1: father face. It was a strange, lonely place to be,
Speaker 1: neither cast out nor truly welcomed back. And it is
Speaker 1: worth remembering just how striking this exiled prince was. For
Speaker 1: the Bible pauses here to describe him in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: fourteen twenty five. But in all Israel there was none
Speaker 1: to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty.
Speaker 1: From the soul of his foot, even to the crown
Speaker 1: of his head, there was no blemish in him. This
Speaker 1: was the man being kept at arm's length, admired by
Speaker 1: the whole nation, yet refused by his own father. Two
Speaker 1: more years passed like this. Absalom lived right there in
Speaker 1: Jerusalem the entire time, and never once saw the king.
Speaker 1: For a proud and restless young man, the waiting became unbearable.
Speaker 1: He had endured being shut out long enough, and he
Speaker 1: decided to force his way back into his father's presence.
Speaker 1: He sent for Joab, the very man who had brought
Speaker 1: him home, ing Joab would carry his case to the king.
Speaker 1: But Joab would not come. Absalom sent for him a
Speaker 1: second time, and still Joab ignored him. So Absalom chose
Speaker 1: a bold and reckless way to get attention. The Bible
Speaker 1: tells us in Second Samuel fourteen thirty Therefore he said,
Speaker 1: unto his servants, see Joab's field is near mine, and
Speaker 1: he hath barley there go and set it on fire.
Speaker 1: And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. That got results.
Speaker 1: Joab came marching over at once, demanding to know why
Speaker 1: his crops had been burned. Absolom did not flinch. He
Speaker 1: told the commander exactly how he felt about being ignored
Speaker 1: for so long. The Bible records his words in Second
Speaker 1: Samuel fourteen thirty two, and Absalom answered, Joab, behold, I
Speaker 1: sent unto thee saying come hither, that I may send
Speaker 1: thee to the king to say, wherefore am I come from? Gesher?
Speaker 1: It had been good for me to have been there
Speaker 1: still now therefore, or let me see the king's face,
Speaker 1: and if there be any iniquity in me, let him
Speaker 1: kill me. Absalom wanted a decision one way or the other.
Speaker 1: Either his father would receive him fully or let him
Speaker 1: be put to death. He could not stand the in
Speaker 1: between any longer. Joab carried Absalom's bold message to the king,
Speaker 1: and at last David agreed to see his son. The
Speaker 1: long silence between them was about to break, the Bible
Speaker 1: tells us in Second Samuel fourteen thirty three. So Joab
Speaker 1: came to the king and told him, And when he
Speaker 1: had called for Absalom, he came to the king and
Speaker 1: bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king,
Speaker 1: and the king kissed Absalom. And on the surface it
Speaker 1: looked like a beautiful reunion. The son bowed low to
Speaker 1: the ground, and the father leaned down and kissed him.
Speaker 1: But that kiss did not reach the place where it
Speaker 1: mattered most. Absalom had not come home broken and grateful.
Speaker 1: He had come home hungry, and his appetite was not
Speaker 1: for peace with his father. It was for his father's throne.
Speaker 1: It did not take long for that hunger to show itself.
Speaker 1: Absalom began to put on a royal display, the Bible
Speaker 1: says in Second Samuel fifteen to one. And it came
Speaker 1: to pass after this that Absalom prepared him chariots and
Speaker 1: horses and fifty men to run before him. He was
Speaker 1: already acting like a king, surrounding himself with the trappings
Speaker 1: of power. Then he started a quiet, patient campaign to
Speaker 1: win the people away from David. He stationed himself where
Speaker 1: he would meet everyone who came seeking justice. The Bible
Speaker 1: describes it in Second Samuel fifteen two three. And Absalom
Speaker 1: rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate.
Speaker 1: And it was so that when any man that had
Speaker 1: a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom
Speaker 1: called unto him and said, of what city art thou?
Speaker 1: And Absalom said unto him, See thy mane as are
Speaker 1: good and right, but there is no man deputed of
Speaker 1: the king to hear thee He flattered them, sympathized with them,
Speaker 1: and hinted that things would be far better if only
Speaker 1: he were in charge. The Bible continues in Secor Samuel
Speaker 1: fifteen five to six. And it was so that when
Speaker 1: any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance,
Speaker 1: he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.
Speaker 1: So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel
Speaker 1: day after day, with a hand shake and a kiss
Speaker 1: and a kind word. The beautiful prince quietly stole the
Speaker 1: loyalty of the nation right out from under his father,
Speaker 1: the king. For years, Absalom had worked quietly winning the
Speaker 1: people's hearts one hand shake at a time, and when
Speaker 1: he judged that the moment had finally come, he made
Speaker 1: his move. But he did not march openly. He cloaked
Speaker 1: his rebellion in the language of worship, going to his
Speaker 1: father with the request that sounded gently and holy. The
Speaker 1: Bible tells us in Second Samuel fifteen seven to eight.
Speaker 1: And it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said,
Speaker 1: unto the King, I pray thee let me go and
Speaker 1: pay my vow which I have vowed unto the Lord
Speaker 1: in Hebron, For thy servant vowed a vow while I
Speaker 1: abode at Gesher in Syria, saying if the Lord shall
Speaker 1: bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve
Speaker 1: the Lord. It was a lie. Wearing the clothing of devotion. David,
Speaker 1: suspecting nothing, gave his blessing. The Bible records his trusting
Speaker 1: reply in Second Samuel fifteen nine, and the king said,
Speaker 1: unto him, go in peace. So he arose and went
Speaker 1: to Hebron With those simple words, the king sent his
Speaker 1: son off to be crowned, never dreaming what was about
Speaker 1: to unfold. Absalom was not going to Hebron to pray.
Speaker 1: He had chosen that city carefully, for it was where
Speaker 1: David himself had first been made made king, and it
Speaker 1: carried weight in the hearts of the people. He had
Speaker 1: already scattered his agents across the land, each one waiting
Speaker 1: for a single signal, the Bible says in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: fifteen ten. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes
Speaker 1: of Israel, saying, as soon as ye hear the sound
Speaker 1: of the trumpet, then ye shall say Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
Speaker 1: Two hundred men traveled with him from Jerusalem, invited as
Speaker 1: honored guests. They knew nothing of the plot, the Bible
Speaker 1: tells us in Secus Samuel fifteen eleven. And with Absalom
Speaker 1: went two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called,
Speaker 1: And they went in their simplicity, and they knew not anything.
Speaker 1: And as the conspiracy spread, it pulled in David's most
Speaker 1: trusted adviser, the brilliant Ahithefel, the Bible says in Second
Speaker 1: Samuel fifteen twelve. And the conspiracy was strong, for the
Speaker 1: people increased continually with Absalom. What had begun as a
Speaker 1: whisper at the city gate had become an open rebellion
Speaker 1: sweeping across the nation. The news reached Jerusalem like a
Speaker 1: sudden storm. A messenger burst into the palace with words
Speaker 1: that froze the king's heart. The Bible records it in
Speaker 1: Secor Samuel fifteen thirteen. And there came a messenger to David, saying,
Speaker 1: the hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
Speaker 1: The hearts of the people had turned. The man who
Speaker 1: had once been their beloved king now found himself a
Speaker 1: target in his own capital. And David made a swift
Speaker 1: and selfless choice. Rather than let Jerusalem become a battlefield,
Speaker 1: rather than see the city torn apart in a bloody siege,
Speaker 1: he chose to leave. The Bible says in Second Samuel
Speaker 1: fifteen fourteen, and David said, unto all his servants that
Speaker 1: were with him that were at Jerusalem, arise and let
Speaker 1: us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom.
Speaker 1: Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and
Speaker 1: bring evil upon us and smite the city with the
Speaker 1: edge of the sword. So the king, who had once
Speaker 1: marched into Jerusalem in glory, now walked out of it
Speaker 1: in sorrow. He left on foot, his household trailing behind him,
Speaker 1: his loyal servants at his side. He left ten women
Speaker 1: to care for the palace, and the whole road filled
Speaker 1: with the sound of weeping. The Bible paints the heart
Speaker 1: breaking scene in Second Samuel fifteen twenty three. And all
Speaker 1: the country wept with a loud voice, and all the
Speaker 1: people passed over. The king also himself passed over the
Speaker 1: brook Kidron, toward the way of the wilderness. David climbed
Speaker 1: the mount of olives with his head covered and his
Speaker 1: feet bare, weeping with every step. The Bible tells us
Speaker 1: in Second Samuel fifteen thirty, And David went up by
Speaker 1: the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up,
Speaker 1: and had his head covered, and he went barefoot, and
Speaker 1: all the people that was with him covered, every man
Speaker 1: his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
Speaker 1: It was a stunning fall. The greatest king Israel had
Speaker 1: ever known, driven out into the desert by the son
Speaker 1: he loved most. While David disappeared into the wilderness. Absalom
Speaker 1: swept into Jerusalem and claimed the city without lifting a sword.
Speaker 1: The throne his father had abandoned sat empty, waiting, and
Speaker 1: Absalom took it as though it had always belonged to him.
Speaker 1: But for all his boldness, Absalom did not trust his
Speaker 1: own instincts. In that critical hour. He turned to the
Speaker 1: man whose wisdom the whole nation respected, the adviser who
Speaker 1: had abandoned David to join the rebellion. He asked a
Speaker 1: Hitherefel what he should do, and the council he received
Speaker 1: was cold and shrewd. The Bible records it in Second
Speaker 1: Samuel sixteen twenty one, and a Hitherefel said, unto abso Sulam,
Speaker 1: go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left
Speaker 1: to keep the house, and all Israel shall hear that
Speaker 1: thou art abhorred of thy father. Then shall the hands
Speaker 1: of all that are with thee be strong. It was
Speaker 1: a calculated act of war. A Hithefel understood the power
Speaker 1: of a public statement. By claiming his father's household in
Speaker 1: the open, Absalom would announce to all Israel that the
Speaker 1: break was final that there could be no turning back
Speaker 1: and no possibility of reconciliation. Those who had joined the rebellion,
Speaker 1: fearful of what would happen if David ever returned, would
Speaker 1: now commit fully knowing. The bridges were burned, and Absalom
Speaker 1: did exactly as he was told, in the most public
Speaker 1: way imaginable, the Bible tells us in Second Samuel sixteen
Speaker 1: twenty two. So they spread Absalom a tent upon the
Speaker 1: top of the house, and Absalom went in unto his
Speaker 1: father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel, on the
Speaker 1: very roof top of the palace, where every one could see,
Speaker 1: he made his claim to the kingdom unmistakable. The son
Speaker 1: who had once been kept from his father's face now
Speaker 1: sat boldly on his father's throne, and the whole nation
Speaker 1: knew it. Now. The entire rebellion hung on a single question,
Speaker 1: what should be done about David? A Hitherphel, whose advice
Speaker 1: was so respected that men treated it almost like a
Speaker 1: word from God, gave a swift and merciless answer. He
Speaker 1: wanted to strike at once that very night, while David
Speaker 1: was exhausted and unprepared. The Bible records his plan in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel seventeen one to two. Moreover, a Hithophael said,
Speaker 1: unto Absalom, let me now choose out twelve thousand men,
Speaker 1: and I will arise and pursue after David this night.
Speaker 1: And I will come upon him while he is weary
Speaker 1: and weak handed, and will make him afraid, and all
Speaker 1: the people that are with him shall flee, and I
Speaker 1: will smite the king only. It was a deadly brilliant plan,
Speaker 1: strike fast, kill only David, and the rebellion would be
Speaker 1: won in a single stroke. The whole assembly approved of it,
Speaker 1: but David had planted a friend inside Absalom's circle. Hushai
Speaker 1: had pretended to switch sides while secretly remaining loyal to
Speaker 1: the king. Absalom called for Hushai to hear his opinion too,
Speaker 1: and Hushai cleverly tore a Hitherefel's plan to pieces. He
Speaker 1: reminded Absalom that David was a seasoned warrior, fierce as
Speaker 1: a bear, robbed of her cubs, and that he would
Speaker 1: surely be hidden away. A failed first attack, he warned,
Speaker 1: would spread panic through Absalom's ranks. Instead, Hushai painted a
Speaker 1: grand and flattering picture. He urged Absalom to gather an
Speaker 1: overwhelming army and lead it himself into glorious battle. The
Speaker 1: Bible records his words in Second Samuel seventeen eleven. Therefore,
Speaker 1: I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee
Speaker 1: from Dan, even to Beersheba as the sand that is
Speaker 1: by the sea, for multitude, and that thou go to
Speaker 1: battle in thine own person. It was a trap of delay,
Speaker 1: designed to give David time to escape and prepare, and
Speaker 1: Absalom took the bait. But the Bible reveals the true
Speaker 1: power at work behind it all in Second Samuel seventeen fourteen.
Speaker 1: And Absalom and all the men of Israel, said, the
Speaker 1: council of Hushai, the Archite, is better than the counsel
Speaker 1: of a hithefel, For the Lord had appointed to defeat
Speaker 1: the good counsel of a Hithefel, to the intent that
Speaker 1: the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. Heaven itself had
Speaker 1: turned against the rebellion a Hithefel sat and watched his
Speaker 1: advice get thrown aside in favor of Hushai's, And in
Speaker 1: that instant he saw the whole future laid bare before him.
Speaker 1: He was a man whose mind could trace cause and
Speaker 1: effect with deadly cl larity, and he knew exactly where
Speaker 1: this road now led. With his plan rejected, the rebellion
Speaker 1: was finished, and everyone bound to it would go down
Speaker 1: in flames. He did not linger to watch the disaster unfold.
Speaker 1: He rose from the council, left the city, and rode
Speaker 1: home with a grim purpose. The Bible tells us in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel seventeen twenty three. And when a hithefel saw
Speaker 1: that his council was not followed. He saddled his ass
Speaker 1: and arose and gat him to his house, to his city,
Speaker 1: and put his household in order, and hanged himself and died,
Speaker 1: and was buried in the sepulcher of his father. It
Speaker 1: was a chillingly deliberate end. He went home, settled his
Speaker 1: affairs as carefully as a man balancing his final accounts,
Speaker 1: and then took his own life. The sharpest mind in
Speaker 1: the kingdom, who had once served David faithfully before betraying him,
Speaker 1: chose death over the ruin he could see racing towards
Speaker 1: them all. Meanwhile, far from that quiet tragedy, David was
Speaker 1: making full use of the time that Hushai's delay had
Speaker 1: won for him. Worn by his allies, he hurried across
Speaker 1: the Jordan River with all the people who were with him,
Speaker 1: the Bible says in Secus Samuel seventeen twenty two. Then
Speaker 1: David arose and all the people that were with him,
Speaker 1: and they passed over Jordan by the morning light. There
Speaker 1: lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
Speaker 1: Not a single soul was left behind. He reached the
Speaker 1: city of Mahanaim, where loyal men met him with beds, bowls, wheat, honey, butter,
Speaker 1: and sheep to strengthen him and his weary followers. The
Speaker 1: hunted king, who had fled barefoot up the Mount of Olives,
Speaker 1: was now safe, supplied, and gathering his strength for the
Speaker 1: battle that was now certain to come. The hour of
Speaker 1: decision arrived. David counted the people who stood with him
Speaker 1: and organized them, setting commanders over groups of thy thousands
Speaker 1: and hundreds. He divided his army into three parts under
Speaker 1: three captains, and he made ready to march out with
Speaker 1: them himself. But his men would not allow it. They
Speaker 1: told him plainly that he was worth ten thousand of them,
Speaker 1: and that he must stay safely in the city. David
Speaker 1: accepted their plea, but he stood by the gate as
Speaker 1: his troops marched out, and he gave one command that
Speaker 1: rose above all others. It was not about strategy or victory.
Speaker 1: It was about his son. The Bible records it in
Speaker 1: Second Samuel eighteen five, and the king commanded Joab and
Speaker 1: Abishai and Ittai, saying, deal gently for my sake with
Speaker 1: the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people
Speaker 1: heard when the king gave all the captain's charge concerning Absalom.
Speaker 1: Even now, with his crowns stolen and his life hunted,
Speaker 1: the father's heart still ached for the boy who had
Speaker 1: betrayed him. He wanted Absalom spared. The two armies met
Speaker 1: in a wild, wooded country called the Forest of Ephraim,
Speaker 1: and the fighting was savage. David's forces struck hard, and
Speaker 1: Absalom's army shattered before them. The slaughter that day was immense,
Speaker 1: with twenty thousand men falling, But it was not only
Speaker 1: the swords that did the killing. The forest itself became
Speaker 1: a deadly trap, its tangled trees and treacherous ground, swallowing
Speaker 1: up the panicked soldiers as they tried to flee. The
Speaker 1: Bible tells us in Second Samuel eighteen eight, for the
Speaker 1: battle was there scattered over the face of all the country,
Speaker 1: and the wood devoured more people that day than the
Speaker 1: sword devoured. The land itself seemed to rise up against
Speaker 1: the rebellion, claiming more lives than any blade. In the
Speaker 1: wild scramble of the retreat, Absalom himself came face to
Speaker 1: face with David's men. He turned his mule to flee,
Speaker 1: But the forest that had already devoured so many, had
Speaker 1: one more victim to claim, and it caught the prince
Speaker 1: in a way no one could have invented. The Bible
Speaker 1: tells us in Second Samuel eighteen nine. And Absalom met
Speaker 1: the servants of David, and Absalom rode upon a mule,
Speaker 1: and the mule went under the thick boughs of a
Speaker 1: great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak,
Speaker 1: and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth,
Speaker 1: and the mule that was under him went away. There
Speaker 1: hung Absalom, the most beautiful man in all Israel, dangling
Speaker 1: helplessly from the branches of a great oak, suspended between
Speaker 1: heaven and earth, while his mule galloped away without him.
Speaker 1: A soldier saw him and ran to tell Joab, but
Speaker 1: he confessed that he would not lay a hand on
Speaker 1: the king's son because he had heard David's order to
Speaker 1: deal gently with him. Joab was furious at the man's hesitation,
Speaker 1: and he had no such mercy in his heart. The
Speaker 1: Bible records the brutal moment in Second Samuel eighteen fourteen.
Speaker 1: Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee.
Speaker 1: And he took three darts in his hand and thrust
Speaker 1: them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet
Speaker 1: alive in the midst of the oak. Then ten of
Speaker 1: Joab's young armor bearers surrounded the prince and finished him off.
Speaker 1: The rebellion had lost its head. They took down the
Speaker 1: body and disposed of it without ceremony or honor, the
Speaker 1: Bible says in Second Samuel eighteen seventeen. And they took
Speaker 1: Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the wood,
Speaker 1: and laid a very great heap of stones upon him,
Speaker 1: and all Israel fled, every one to his tent. The
Speaker 1: beautiful prince, who had dreamed of a throne, was buried
Speaker 1: beneath a heap of stones in a forest pit, and
Speaker 1: his scattered army fled into the night. Now came the
Speaker 1: moment of telling the king. Two runners raced toward Mahanaim
Speaker 1: with the news of victory. The first arrived and bowed
Speaker 1: before David, reporting that the battle was won and the
Speaker 1: enemy defeated. But David's heart was not on the triumph
Speaker 1: at all. He had only one thing on his mind,
Speaker 1: and he asked it at once. The Bible tells us
Speaker 1: in Secord Samuel eighteen twenty nine, and the king said,
Speaker 1: is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimayas answered, I
Speaker 1: saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
Speaker 1: Then the second messenger arrived, and David pressed him with
Speaker 1: the very same desperate question. This man could not soften
Speaker 1: the truth, but neither could he say it plainly. He
Speaker 1: spoke it in a careful, roundabout way. The Bible records
Speaker 1: it in Second Samuel eighteen thirty two, and the king said,
Speaker 1: unto Kushi, is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered,
Speaker 1: the enemies of my lord the King, and all that
Speaker 1: rise against thee, to do THEE hurt be as that
Speaker 1: young man is. In that instant, David understood everything. His
Speaker 1: son was dead. The king had won the war, but
Speaker 1: he had lost the one thing his heart had begged
Speaker 1: to keep. And in that moment, the mighty ruler vanished,
Speaker 1: and only a shattered father remained. The Bible gives us
Speaker 1: his cry, one of the most heart broken cries in
Speaker 1: all of scripture, in Second Samuel eighteen thirty three. And
Speaker 1: the king was much moved, and went up to the
Speaker 1: chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went
Speaker 1: thus he said, O, my son Absalom, my son, my
Speaker 1: son Absalom, would God I had died for thee O Absalom,
Speaker 1: my son, my son. He climbed alone to a small
Speaker 1: room above the gate, and there, away from his soldiers
Speaker 1: and his servants, the king poured out his grief. He
Speaker 1: wished with all his heart that he could have died
Speaker 1: in his son's place. The most beautiful son had become
Speaker 1: the most dangerous enemy. And in the end the father
Speaker 1: wept not for the rebel who had hunted him, but
Speaker 1: for the boy he had lost long long before that
Speaker 1: day in the forest. If this story touched your heart
Speaker 1: to day, take to subscribe to the channel so you
Speaker 1: never miss the next one. There are so many more
Speaker 1: lives and lessons waiting in the pages of Scripture, and
Speaker 1: we walk through them together, one story at a time.
Speaker 1: And if these words stirred something inside you, share this
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Speaker 1: know whose heart might be reached by a message of love, forgiveness,
Speaker 1: and a father who never gives up on his children.
Speaker 1: Thank you for being here. May the peace of God
Speaker 1: be with you, and may His word continue to light
Speaker 1: your path until we meet again in the next story.