SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 08

ABSALOM FLEES

ABSALOM’S ADVENTURES 
From 2 Samuel 13:27-14:33
“After the murder of Amnon, Absalom ran away to Geshur where he lived with his mother’s father, King Talmai of Geshur. For three years Absalom lived there in exile, but daily his father King David, yearned to have him back, for David by this time was reconciled to the death of his son Amnon. Joab recognized David’s desire to have Absalom back and made plans to work things out. He knew that he would have to do something dramatic to cause David to send for Absalom, so he made arrangements with a very clever woman of Tekoa to visit the king. Joab told the woman exactly what she should say to David. ‘Put on mourning clothing and pretend that you are in deep sorrow,’ Joab instructed her. ‘Do not wear perfumed oil and pretend that you have been mourning for several days for someone who is dead.’ When the woman was brought before King David, she fell with her face to the ground before him. ‘Help me!’ she pleaded. ‘What is your problem?’ the king asked. ‘I am a widow with two sons,’ she said.

‘One day my sons were fighting in a field and since no one was there to stop them, one of them killed the other. Now my family is trying to force me to give up my only living son to be executed for the murder of his brother. This would take away my only son and remove my husband’s heir from the face of the earth.’ ‘You may go home in peace,’ King David answered. ‘I will see that no harm comes to your son.’ ‘I will take the blame for this if anyone is angry for sparing his life,’ the woman said. ‘You must not bear any of the guilt for sparing a son who murdered his brother.’ ‘If anyone causes you further trouble about this, bring him to me and I’ll put a stop to that!’ David answered. 'Swear by God’s name that you will keep anyone from harming my son!’ the woman said. ‘I swear by God’s name that no one will harm your son,’ the king promised. ‘Please let me tell you something else,’ said the woman. ‘Tell me!’ the king commanded. ‘Why don’t you do for all of God’s people what you have just done for me?’ the woman answered. ‘You are condemning yourself by not bringing your own son from exile. We must all die sometime, like water spilled upon the ground, but the God Who gives us life does not exile us from Himself and keep us there.

Surely God will not punish you if you bring your own son home from exile.’ ‘I have pleaded with you for the life of my son because he and I have been in danger. I was sure that you would spare us from those who would harm us and that you would give us peace again. I knew that you are like an angel of God who can discern between good and evil. May God be with you to know what is right to do.’ ‘Tell me something,’ King David demanded. ‘Hide nothing from me!’ ‘Yes, I will tell you,’ the woman answered. ‘Did Joab plan all this?’ the king asked. ‘Yes, Joab sent me here and told me exactly what to say,’ the woman confessed. ‘He did this to help you see what you are doing to your son and to yourself. But you are as wise as an angel, so you will know what is best.’ When the woman was gone, King David sent for Joab. ‘Bring Absalom back home!’ he commanded. Joab fell with his face to the ground before King David. ‘I know now that you favour me, for you have granted this request.’ So Joab brought Absalom from Geshur to Jerusalem . However, King David said, ‘Absalom must live in his own house; he must never come to see me.’ Absalom did as he was commanded, living apart from King David in his own house.

Absalom was the most handsome man in all Israel and everyone said so. Once each year he cut his hair when it became too heavy, for it weighed about three pounds. His body was almost perfect; there was not one blemish from the bottom of his foot to the top of his head. Absalom had three sons and a daughter named Tamar, a very beautiful girl. Two years passed after Absalom returned to Jerusalem and still he had not seen his father, King David. One day he sent a message to Joab, hoping that Joab would talk to the king for him. But Joab did not answer his message. Then Absalom sent another message, but Joab did not answer that one either. Absalom summoned some of his servants. ‘Set fire to Joab’s barley field which is next to mine,’ he ordered. When his servants had set fire to the field, Joab hurried over to see Absalom. ‘Why have your servants set fire to my field?’ he demanded. ‘Because I wanted you to come so I could send you to speak to the king for me,’ said Absalom. ‘Ask him why he brought me here from Geshur since he refuses to see me. I want to go before my father and if he finds something wrong with me, let him put me to death.’ After Joab reported Absalom’s words to the king, David summoned the young man before him. Absalom bowed to the ground and David welcomed him with a kiss.”

COMMENTARY

DAVID’S PERSONAL ENEMIES
The psalms which David wrote are filled with references concerning his enemies. Throughout all psalms, there are more than fifty references to the enemies of the king and the Lord and many referred to the enemies of David. At first, this may seem strange, for King David was one of the mightiest warriors in the entire Bible. Even as a young man in his teen years, or early twenties, he commanded the respect of the armies of Israel , for he had dared to fight the Philistine champion Goliath, which no other Israelite soldier had been willing to do. The bravest warriors of Israel and there were some with legendary might, held King David in great respect, for they recognized that he was as brave as they. Yet, with all David’s bravery, he was also a man of unusual tenderness. When Absalom rebelled against David, plotted his death and tried to steal his kingdom, David refused to kill him and begged Joab to show Absalom mercy. When David’s soldiers wanted him to strike King Saul dead and thus bring revenge, David refused. Although Saul was David’s worst enemy, he would not harm him, for Saul was the Lord’s anointed king. Thus, it is interesting to reconcile David’s feelings about his enemies with his unwillingness to harm some of them. In many psalms, David asks the Lord to take vengeance on his enemies, even though David usually refused to take vengeance on them. Perhaps that is because David wanted punishment to be in the Lord’s hands and not in his. It is a worthwhile experience to look up “enemies” in a concordance and then read each verse in the Book of Psalms which mentions this word. It will give special insight into King David and how he felt about his enemies.

TEST YOURSELF

1.) Where did Absalom go hide after murdering his brother Amnon?
            A) Philistia
            B) Moab
            C) Ammon
            D) Geshur

2.) Who made arrangements for Absalom to return?
            A) Nicor
            B) Gershom
            C) Joab
            D) Micah

3.) What was the name of the woman who came before David to plea Absalom’s cause?
            A) Tekoa
            B) Ruth
            C) Bath-Sheba
            D) Salome

4.) What did Absalom do, when Joab did not talk to him?
            A) Ran through the city naked
            B) Knocked down Joab’s door
            C) Set fire to Joab’s barley field
            D) Shaved his head

5.) How many years did Absalom live in Jerusalem, after returning from exile, before he saw his father David?
            A) One
            B) Four
            C) Three
            D) Two