—
;
THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. See II Samuel xv, xvi, xvii,
BSALOM
was the
third son
Talmai, king of Geshur. beauty.
"
From
of
King David,
He was
xviii.
his
mother being Maacah, daughter
greatly admired
among
the
Israelites
of
for his
the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no blemish
was he distinguished for the beauty of his hair, which grew so luxuriantly that when at the end of each year he was shorn, its weight was equal to two hundred shekels of silver. But he was vain and deceitful of heart and his ambition, and perhaps envy of his brother Solomon, led him to plot against the king his father and to conspire with his enemies for his overthrow. He set himself diligently to work in various subtle ways to win over the people to himself, affectionately embracing all who approached to salute him, and saying to those who came to the king for judgment, " O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice." Thereby he won their hearts and alienated them from King David. When he had thus gathered around him a sufficient number, he proceeded to Hebron first obtaining his father's permission, under the pretense that he wished to pay a vow unto the Lord and was there proclaimed king. When the news was brought to David by a messenger that the hearts of the men of Israel were with Absalom, he fled in haste from Jerusalem, attended by his servants and such men of the city as were still loyal, and passed over the Jordan, finding an asylum in the city of Mahanaim. Absalom took possession of Jerusalem, and was there solemnly anointed king. Afterwards he set out with a large army in pursuit of his father, following him across the Jordan. David gathered together his devoted people, and wished to lead them to battle himself; but they restrained him, saying, "Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us in
him."
Especially
;
—
neither
if
half of us die, will they care for us;
now it is better that under the command of three
but
—
now
thou art worth ten thousand of us;
So David sent forth his army trusted leaders, after charging them to deal gently with Absalom, whom he still greatly loved. The king's people met the hosts of Absalom in the wood of Ephraim and overwhelmed them, slaying twenty thousand men. Absalom sought to escape on the back of a mule, but in passing under an immense oak, his hair caught in the boughs, and the mule fled from under him, leaving him suspended in the air. When a messenger who had therefore
thou succor us out of the
city.
informed Joab, the chief captain in David's army, he hastened to the spot, and, unmindful of the command of the king, " he took three darts in his hand and thrust them witnessed
this
through the heart of Absalom, while yet he was alive
men
in
the midst of the oak.
And
young Then he
ten
armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." and stones were thrown upon him in token of bitter hostility. From one of the gnarled In the engraving the fate of Absalom is strikingly portrayed. branches of the spreading oak we behold the wretched victim, held tightly by his strong locks perhaps conscious that death is speedily to overtake him for Joab and his followers, mounted on swift steeds, are seen galloping towards him, their stern features, wild shouts and angry gestures showing the spirit of vengeance that inflames their hearts.
was
that bore Joab's
cast into a pit in the forest,
;
34