2 Sam. 13-18 - Synopsis of the Rebellion of Absalom
Note: Maacah, the daughter of King Talmi of Geshur, was married to King David and bore him his son Absalom and a daughter, Tamar. Geshur was a small Aramean (non-Hebrew) kingdom that abutted northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. The marriage was apparently made in consideration of a political alliance. (2 Sam. 3:2-3; 1 Chron. 3:1-2).
Absalom's story begins in 2 Samuel 13, not with his own misdeeds, but with those of his half-brother Ammon, whom he was related to through his father David. To make a long story short, Amnon sexually assaulted Absalom's sister Tamar. While King David was "very angry" as a result (v. 21), he did nothing to punish Amnon. Sexual assault was a capital offense in that culture and should have warranted the death penalty. 2 Samuel 13 says that Absalom "spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar" (v. 22). Tamar "lived a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house" (v. 20). You can imagine the impact of watching her suffer on a daily basis had on him.
After two years, Absalom took revenge, waiting until his target was off-guard. Absalom threw a party, invited all of King David's sons, including Amnon, and instructed his servants to murder Amnon while he was intoxicated (v. 29). This event prompted great consternation in the royal family, and prompted Absalom to flee Jerusalem to the independent Kingdom of Geshur. After three years, Absalom was forgiven by his father and invited back to Jerusalem, but that is far from the end of the story.
Absalom ultimately amassed strong popular support, declared himself king, and posed such a threat that his father had to abandon his home in Jerusalem (15:14). In verse 22, Absalom violated his father's concubines on a public roof to declare his open hostility toward him. War between the duo ensued, until King David's army earned a huge victory (18:8), and Absalom was killed by David's chief military officer, Joab (18:14).
The rebellion of Absalom was likely the greatest trial King David ever endured. If you read about his life, that is saying a lot. It was reminiscent of the curse pronounced by Nathan the prophet after David committed adultery with a man's wife while he was serving in the military.
nopsis of the Rebellion of Absalom
