Who was Absalom in the Old Testament?

Answer 1

He was the son who rebelled against his father King David (2 Samuel ch.15) and was killed by Joab.

1 Chronicles 3:1-2New King James Version (NKJV)

The Family of David 3 Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel,[a] by Abigail the Carmelitess; 2 the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;

Answer 2

A:The story of Absalom, his brother Amnon and their sister Tamar is a surprisingly lengthy diversion, consisting of seven chapters (2 Samuel 13-19) and apparently of no major historical or religious importance. Absalom was David's favourite son, yet played no part in the narrative prior to these chapters.

The first episode involves the rape of Tamar by Amnon, who was David's oldest son and Absalom's half-brother. This is a strange tale and seems to be based on much older traditions, possibly of religious origin. When David found out about the rape, he was angry but took no action. Absalom waited two years, then plotted to kill Amnon in revenge. He clearly was not afraid of David and did not try to hide his involvement in the murder of Amnon, yet it seems strange that Absalom would wait so long, then kill Amnon so furtively.

The story emphasises the beauty and femininity of Absalom:

• 2 Samuel 14:25:

  But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

• 2 Samuel 14:26 - Absalom had long thick hair that was seldom cut:

  And when he polled his head ... he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

• 2 Samuel 18:9 - Absalom's long hair even brought about his demise:

  ... and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

• 2 Samuel 15:4-6: Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that any man which hath any suitor cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice. And it was so, that when any man came nigh unto him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom's only likely competitor as successor to David was Amnon, who had died at Absalom's hand after the rape of Tamar. So Absalom served David forty years, then decided to launch a coup against his father (2 Samuel 15:7), perhaps not quite an accurate claim as David's entire reign only lasted forty years and 7 months.

2 Samuel 14:27 reports Absalom as having three sons and one daughter, Tamar. On the other hand, 2 Samuel 18:18 says that Absalom raised an obelisk in the king's dale, or valley of the kings, saying that he had no sons.

The obelisk in the king's dale points to the story's origins in other nations, since The Bible says that David was only the second king of Israel and there could not yet have been a 'valley of the kings' in the land. A credible possibility is that the legend is based, at least in part, on Egypt's Queen Hatshepsut, who also had no sons. Appointed regent for her half-brother, Thuthmose II, Hatshepsut deposed him and ruled in her own right, taking to wear male clothing and a false beard. As a retelling of the story of Hatshepsut, it could explain Absalom's feminine nature and ability to captivate the men of the nation. To fit into the biblical story of David and Solomon, Absalom had to kill Amnon before he became king, and the coup against Queen Hatshepsut's half-brother had to become an attempted coup against Absalom's father, David.