The King's Bitter Harvest

Absalom was one of the 3 sons of David by Maacah (2 Sam 3:3), the daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur, and a handsome young man. (2 Samuel 14:25). Absalom was David’s third eldest son and had a beautiful sister named Tamar (2 Sam. 13:1) which David’s eldest son, Amnon, began to desire. He and his “friend” Jonadab (David’s nephew) hatched a plan to lure Tamar to Amnon’s house and into his very bedchamber, where he raped her. This caused a rift between the brothers and Absalom did not speak to Amnon for 2 years. The lesson here is, “Choose your friends wisely, you will become as those you associate with.” (Amos 3:3)
Absalom, after the two years, after convincing his father, King David, lured Amnon with the rest of his brothers to Baal-hazor where he had a herd of sheep, supposedly, to a sheep shearing. The wine flowed, especially to Amnon who became drunk. Absalom’s servants were ordered to kill him. King David, and the whole royal household, were falsely informed that all the king’s sons had been killed and began to rent their clothes and mourn.
Then Jonadab, Amnon’s friend, informed the king that only Amnon had been killed. Absalom fled to his grandfather’s “kingdom” (Talmai) and his mother’s people. At the end of three years, at the urging of Joab, David allowed David to return to Jerusalem again; but, would not see him face to face. (2 Samuel, Chapters 13 and 14).
Absalom sent for Joab twice to ask him to convince his father to see him; but, Joab did not come. Absalom, being not only handsome; but, also clever in a diabolical way, set one of Joab’s fields on fire. When Joab came to protest the buring of his fields and Absalom used the occasion to persuade Joab to request the King see him face to face, which he did. (2 Samuel 14:33)
Absalom did not get the reception that he wanted and began to plan to steal the hearts of the people (2 Sam. 15:1-6) He sends for Ahithophel, David’s trusted counsellor and begins to conspire with him. (2 Sam. 15:12)
David flees barefoot, weeping at the treachery of Absalom (15:30) the rebellion was great. (2 Sam. 15:13,13)
David hears that his trusted counselor, Ahithophel, is now part of the conspiracy (15:31) and Hushai, the Archite, is sent back to Jerusalem as a spy and to “turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” (15:32-37)
Ahithophel advises Absalom to ridicule David in the sight of all Israel by going into his father’s concubines in a tent on top of the palace. And, so Absalom did. (16:20-23) (17:1, 2, 4, 23)
Ahithophel tries to convince Absalom and the elers that he has enough backing to challenge David and his army in battle. Hushai, gives God’s inspired counsel and Ahithophel’s counsel is disregarded. (17:7, 11, 14) Ahithophel retires to his home, “put his household in order, and hanged himself…”(17:23), just as Judas would later do. (Matt. 27:5)
David prepares for the attack; but, is requested not to lead personally. (18:1-3) He orders them to “Deal gently with the young man for my sake…”(18:5) The battle ensued and 20,000 men are killed (vs 6-8). Absalom reveals himself a coward and flees on his mule; but, his caught in the branches by his luxurious locks and judgment is rendered unflinchingly by Joab. Absalom’s death. (18:9, 14)
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! (2 Sam. 18:33; 19:4)
David is rebuked by Joab, “…Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; (5)
In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends.…for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. (6) Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.” (2 Sam. 19:5-7)
David pulled himself together and followed his trusted general, Joab’s, advice
Of course, we find in 2 Samuel 12:10,11,12, 14, 18a) the was all foretold years in advance (2 Sam. 12:10, 11, 12, 14,18a) (Also see Proverbs 16:18 & 13:10;Galatians 6:7-9; the title of Ps. 3)
Why did Ahithophel hate David so much? His son was Eliam, whose daughter was Bathsheba, who married Uriah. They were the granddaughter and grandson-in-law of Ahithophel.

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