Absalom

The Death of Absalom by Gustave Dore

According to the Bible, Absalom or Avshalom (Hebrew: אַבְשָלוֹם, Modern Avšalom Tiberian ʾAḇšālôm ; "Father/Leader of/is peace" or "Salem is my Father") was the third son of David, King of Israel with Maachah, daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur. (1 Chronicles 3:2, 2 Samuel 3:3)

2 Samuel 14:25 describes him as the most handsome man in the kingdom. Absalom eventually rebelled against his father and was killed during the Battle of Ephraim Wood.^[1]

Murder of Amnon

The Banquet of Absalom attributed to Bernardo Cavallino

After his sister Tamar was raped by David's eldest son, Amnon, Absalom, after waiting two years, avenged her by sending his servants to murder Amnon at a feast to which he had invited all the king's sons. (2 Samuel 13)

After this deed he fled to Talmai, the king of Geshur (2 Samuel 13:37) (see also Joshua 12:5 or 13:2), his maternal grandfather, and it was not until three years later that he was fully reinstated in his father's favour and finally returned to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 13-14) (see Joab)

The Revolt at Hebron

While at Jerusalem Absalom built support for himself among the populace by promising justice for all "if only I were appointed judge in the land", and by showing humility by kissing those who approached him rather than accepting supplication.^[2]

Valley of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom Jerusalem. Stairway in Absalom's Pillar; Another view inside Absalom's Pillar

After four years he decided to declare himself king and raised a revolt at Hebron, the former capital. All Israel and Judah flocked to his side, and David, attended only by the Cherethites and Pelethites and some recent recruits from Gath, found it expedient to flee. The priests Zadok and Abiathar remained behind in Jerusalem, and their sons Jonathan and Ahimaaz served as David's spies. Absalom reached the capital and took counsel with the renowned Ahithophel (sometimes Achitophel).

David took refuge from Absalom's forces beyond the Jordan River. However, he took the precaution of instructing a servant, Hushai, to infiltrate Absalom's court and subvert it. Hushai convinced Absalom to ignore Ahithophel's advice to attack his father while he was on the run, and instead prepare his forces for a major attack. This gave David critical time to prepare his own troops for the coming battle.

The Battle of Ephraim Wood

Photo of Absalom's Tomb in Kidron Valley - 1860s

A fateful battle was fought in the Wood of Ephraim (the name suggests a locality west of the Jordan) and Absalom's army was completely routed.^[3] Absalom himself was caught by his head in the boughs of an oak-tree as the mule he was riding ran beneath it - an irony given that he was previously renowned for his abundant hair and handsome head. He was discovered hanging there still alive by one of David's men, who reported the matter to Joab, the king's commander.

David had charged his men to deal gently with his son but Joab thrust three spears through Absalom's heart as he struggled in the branches. Then ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Memorial to Absalom

Despite Absalom's revolt, David was overwhelmed with grief for his son's death and ordered a great heap of stones to be erected where he fell.

Another monument near Jerusalem (not the modern "Absalom Tomb" - "Yad Avshalom" which is of later origin) was erected by Absalom in his lifetime to perpetuate his name (2 Samuel 18:18):

"Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a monument, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's monument."

Absalom in Art

Fiction

• Absalom, Absalom! is the title of a novel by William Faulkner, and refers to the return of Thomas Sutpen's son.
• Oh Absalom! was the original title of Howard Spring's novel My Son, My Son!, later adapted for the film of the latter name.
• Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Absalom was the name of Stephen Kumalo's son in the novel. Like the historical Absalom, Absalom Kumalo was at odds with his father, the two fighting a moral and ethical battle of sorts over the course of some of the novel's most important events. Absalom kills and murders a man, and also meets an untimely death.

Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. Refers to the return of Thomas Sutpen's son.

• Ender's Shadow references the story of Absalom and King David's lament.
• Absalom is the name of a character in Eiichiro Oda's manga One Piece.
• The character of Absalom appears in Susannah Clarke's Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
• Throughout Robertson Davies's The Manticore a comparison is repeatedly made between the protagonist's problematic relations with his father and those of between the Biblical Absalom and King David. (Paradoxically, in the modern version it is the rebellious son who has the first name "David".) The book also introduces the term "Absalonism", as a generic term for a son's rebellion against his father.
• Absalom is the name of a comedic character in "The Miller's Tale" in the Canterbury Tales.
• The character of Absalom appears in Michael Cook's The Head Guts and Sound Bone Dance

Music

• Josquin Desprez composed the motet "Absalon, fili mi" on the occasion of the death of Juan Borgia.
• Leonard Cohen's poem "Prayer for Sunset" compares the setting sun to the raving Absalom, and asks whether another Joab will arrive tomorrow night to kill Absalom again.
• Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) composed "Fili mi, Absalon" as part of his Sinfoniae Sacrae, op.6
• The single verse, 2 Samuel 18:33, regarding David's grief at the loss of his son ("And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"), is the setting of several pieces of choral music, usually entitled When David Heard (Such as Eric Whitacre's When David Heard and the piece of the same name by Norman Dinerstein) although this does not appear in the actual scripture. This verse is also featured in William Billing's popular Sacred Harp song "David's Lamentation", first published in 1778.
• "Absalom, Absalom" is the title of a song on the 1996 Compass CD Making Light of It by singer/songwriter Pierce Pettis, incorporating several elements of the biblical narrative.
• During the finale of the song Distant Early Warning by Canadian band Rush, Geddy Lee sings, "Absalom Absalom Absalom." Lyrics written by drummer Neil Peart.
• David Olney's 2000 CD Omar's Blues includes the song "Absalom." The song depicts David grieving over the death of his son.
• The story of Absalom is referred to several places in folk singer Adam Arcuragi's song "Always Almost Crying."
• The San Francisco-based band Om[2] mentions Absalom in their song "Kapila's Theme" from their debut album Variations on a Theme.
• The garage folk band David's Doldrums[3] references Absalom in their song, "my name is Absalom." The song alludes to Absalom's feelings of solemnity and abandonment of love and hope.
• In "Every Kind Word" by Lackthereof, Danny Seim's project parallel to Menomena, Seim sings "...and your hair is long like Absalom."
• "Barach Hamelech" an Israeli song by Amos Etinger and Yosef Hadar.
• The grindcore band Discordance Axis references Absalom at the end of the track entitled Castration Rite.
• The Progressive Metal band from Barranquilla, Colombia, Absalom has his name.^[4]
• 2007 Ryland Angel released "Absalom" on Ryland Angel - Manhattan Records ^[5]
• "Hanging By His Hair" from the 1998 WORMWOOD album by The Residents recounts Absalom's defiance and death. Also performed on Roadworms (The Berlin Sessions) and Wormwood Live. ^[6]
• "Absalom" is a song on Brand New Shadows's debut album, White flags. It is a mournful lament from King David's perspective.

^[7]

Painting

by Albert Weisgerber

• Absalom - Albert Weisgerber
• The Banquet of Absalom - attributed to Bernardo Cavallino.

Poetry

• "Absalom and Achitophel"--a political satire in verse by John Dryden
• Rainer Maria Rilke alludes to Absalom in his two poems "Absalom's Rebellion" and "Absalom's Abfall."
• Anglo-Jewish war poet Isaac Rosenberg alludes to Absalom in the poem "Chagrin".
• In the Ahrens and Flaherty musical The Glorious Ones (based on the historical novel by Francine Prose), Francesco Andreini sings a song called "Absalom", as a metaphor for his relationship with Flaminio Scala.
• "Absalom" is the title of the eighth section of Muriel Rukeyser's long narrative poem "The Book of the Dead," from her 1938 book U.S. 1. The poem exposes and dwells on an industrial tragedy in West Virginia, that lead to hundreds of deaths among workers digging a tunnel.

References