Atomic Bible

David's rebellious son who tried to usurp the throne.

Absalom

Named in 91 verses across 4 books, first in 2 Samuel 3:3.

אַבְשָׁלוֹםAbsalom

אֲבִישָׁלוֹםAbishalom

Also called Abishalom.

The name means “father of peace.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
David
Mother
Maacah
Brothers and sisters
Amnon, Chileab, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream, Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet, Tamar, Elpelet, Nogah, Jerimoth
Children
Tamar
People
Tribe of Judah

About Absalom Written by AI

Absalom was the third son of King David, born to Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2Sa. 3:3). He was known for his handsome appearance and long hair (2Sa. 14:25-26). After the rape of his sister Tamar by Amnon, David's firstborn son, Absalom plotted revenge and had Amnon murdered (2Sa. 13). He then fled to Geshur for three years before Joab, David's general, arranged for his return (2Sa. 14). Later, Absalom launched a rebellion against David, proclaiming himself king in Hebron (2Sa. 15). David was forced to flee from Jerusalem, and Absalom took advice to pursue him with his forces (2Sa. 16-17). However, David's men defeated Absalom's army, and Absalom himself was killed by Joab against David's wishes (2Sa. 18). David deeply mourned Absalom's death (2Sa. 19:1-4). Absalom had erected a pillar to preserve his name, since he had no son to carry on his lineage (2Sa. 18:18). He was survived by his daughter Maacah, who later became a wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijah (1Ki. 15:2; 2Ch. 11:20-21).

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

Father of peace; i.e., “peaceful” David’s son by Maacah (2 Sam. 3:3; comp. 1 Kings 1:6). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Sam. 14:25,26). The first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon, David’s eldest son, who had basely wronged Absalom’s sister Tamar. This revenge was executed at the time of the festivities connected with a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor. David’s other sons fled from the place in horror, and brought the tidings of the death of Amnon to Jerusalem. Alarmed for the consequences of the act, Absalom fled to his grandfather at Geshur, and there abode for three years (2 Sam. 3:3; 13:23-38).

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 David’s sanction to invite Absalom back to Jerusalem. He returned accordingly, but two years elapsed before his father admitted him into his presence (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 affection; and after his return from Geshur (2 Sam. 15:7; marg., R.V.) he went up to Hebron, the old capital of Judah, along with a great body of the people, and there proclaimed himself king. The revolt was so successful that David found it necessary to quit Jerusalem and flee to Mahanaim, beyond Jordan; where upon Absalom returned to Jerusalem and took possession of the throne without opposition. Ahithophel, 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 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.

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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.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. 2 Samuel 3:3

    his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

  2. 2 Samuel 13:1

    After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.

  3. 2 Samuel 13:4

    and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

  4. 2 Samuel 13:20

    Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

  5. 2 Samuel 13:22

    And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar.

  6. 2 Samuel 13:23

    Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.

  7. 2 Samuel 13:24

    And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”

  8. 2 Samuel 13:25

    “No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

  9. 2 Samuel 13:26

    “If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.

  10. 2 Samuel 13:27

    But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons.

  11. 2 Samuel 13:28

    Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”

  12. 2 Samuel 13:29

    So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

  13. 2 Samuel 13:30

    While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”

  14. 2 Samuel 13:32

    But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

  15. 2 Samuel 13:34

    Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.”

  16. 2 Samuel 13:37

    Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

  17. 2 Samuel 13:38

    After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

  18. 2 Samuel 13:39

    And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.

  19. 2 Samuel 14:1

    Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.

  20. 2 Samuel 14:21

    Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

  21. 2 Samuel 14:23

    So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

  22. 2 Samuel 14:24

    But the king added, “He may return to his house, but he must not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the face of the king.

  23. 2 Samuel 14:25

    Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.

  24. 2 Samuel 14:27

    Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.

  25. 2 Samuel 14:28

    Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.

  26. 2 Samuel 14:29

    Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come.

  27. 2 Samuel 14:30

    Then Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire!” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

  28. 2 Samuel 14:31

    Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

  29. 2 Samuel 14:32

    “Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”

  30. 2 Samuel 14:33

    So Joab went and told the king, and David summoned Absalom, who came to him and bowed facedown before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.

  31. 2 Samuel 15:1

    Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.

  32. 2 Samuel 15:2

    He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

  33. 2 Samuel 15:3

    Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”

  34. 2 Samuel 15:4

    And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

  35. 2 Samuel 15:6

    Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

  36. 2 Samuel 15:7

    After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.

  37. 2 Samuel 15:10

    Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

  38. 2 Samuel 15:11

    Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.

  39. 2 Samuel 15:12

    While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

  40. 2 Samuel 15:13

    Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

And 51 more

2 Samuel 15:14, 15:31, 15:34, 15:37, 16:8, 16:15, 16:16, 16:17, 16:18, 16:20, 16:21, 16:22, 16:23, 17:1, 17:4, 17:5, 17:6, 17:7, 17:9, 17:14, 17:15, 17:18, 17:20, 17:24, 17:25, 17:26, 18:5, 18:9, 18:10, 18:12, 18:14, 18:15, 18:17, 18:18, 18:29, 18:32, 18:33, 19:1, 19:4, 19:6, 19:9, 19:10, 20:6

1 Kings 1:6, 2:7, 2:28, 15:2, 15:10

1 Chronicles 3:2

2 Chronicles 11:20, 11:21

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.