Chapter Fifteen
Absalom Goes Hollywood
15:1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Returning to a royal lifestyle, Absalom appears to be indulging in the luxury of a care-free pursuit of pleasure, he obtains a chariot and horses, along with fifty men to run before him. Perhaps the equivalent of a what we might call a ‘hot rod’ vehicle today and being seen in his chariot undoubtedly raised his ‘celebrity’ status. But could there be more than what it appears?
Absalom is the first Israelite recorded in the Bible to acquire his own personal chariot and horses. Even though Samuel predicted that Israel’s kings would one day use chariots and horses (see 1 Samuel 8:11), neither Saul nor David are noted to have personally used chariots and horses.
Absalom’s acquisition of these highly visible symbols of royalty in the present narrative already foreshadows a treasonous rebellion against David.
The biblical narratives stretching from Exodus through this point in 2 Samuel are surprisingly negative in their portrayal of horses and chariots. The texts consistently depict only enemies of the Lord and his covenant people as having them. The Egyptians (cf. Exod 14:9–15:21; Deut 11:4; Josh 24:6), northern Canaanites (Josh 11:4–9; Judg 4:15; 5:19–22), and Arameans (8:4; 10:18) all used them unsuccessfully in battle against Israel.[1]
Now add fifty men running in front of his chariot, it must have been an impressive sight for the Israelite community to watch!
Absalom Conspires Against David
15:2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.”
We see Absalom’s true ambitions emerging as he begins a political campaign to make himself king by starting where a lot of political campaigns begin, by pointing out the inadequacies of the incumbent (some things never change). He would stand at the gate to the city and when someone sought dispute resolution, he would ask them where they were from, and after being told (they were from a tribe in Israel) he would lie and tell them that there is no one available to listen and render judgment for them.
15:4 Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Absalom would then tell them, that if he were to judge in the land, then everyone could come to him and he would give them justice. Notice in verse three that he would tell those seeking a decision that they would be told that their claims would be “good and right,”which would be favor, not true justice. In addition whenever someone came to pay homage (Hebrew hiš·tǎ·ḥǎwōṯ’, to bow before, to fall prostrate) to him, he would embrace them and kiss them. We are told that Absalom did this to all of Israel’s people who came to Jerusalem seeking justice from the king’s court. A slow, but effective process that eventually ’stole’ the hearts of the people of Israel through deception. Apparently Absalom never used the term ‘king’ in his dealings with the public as that would make him guilty of treason.
15:7 And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.’ ” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
After four years[2] covertly campaigning to be king, Absalom approaches the king to ask him if he would allow him to go and pay his vow to YHWH in Hebron. He was now ready to proceed to the next phase of his plan. He uses the ruse that he vowed to YHWH that if He brought Absalom back to Jerusalem then he would honor Him in Hebron. Apparently David did not suspect anything beyond what was spoken and allowed Absalom to leave. Why Hebron? Several reasons, first he wanted a stronghold where he could rally support to overthrow David as king. And secondly, it wouldn’t raise suspicions as Absalom was born there (see 2 Samuel 3:2-3), was a prominent religious center (see Joshua 21:11-13), and was the same place where his father was anointed king over Judah (see 2 Samuel 2:3-3). David gave him permission, and Absalom went to Hebron.
15:10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’ ” 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
These three verses need to be read together before we can truly see what happened here. Absalom had secretly planted people throughout all the tribes of Israel that when they heard the sound of a trumpet they were to proclaim that “Absalom is king at Hebron!” But in order for his plan to work he had to reduced the number of David’s men stationed in Jerusalem, which he did by inviting two hundred of them as guests to Hebron to witness Absalom’s offering of the sacrifices. Then he was able to convince Ahithophel, one of David’s advisors to turn against David (we are not told why he abandoned David, but since he had unlawful sexual relations with Ahithophel’s granddaughter and murdered her husband, those actions may have had caused him to become disloyal, see 2 Samuel 11:3; 23:34). The author tells us that the conspiracy was working and Absalom’s popularity was growing strong.
Considerations
Where’s Daniel?
Some may be asking if Absalom is pursuing being the king, “What about Chileab, David’s second son born of Abigail? It is believed that Daniel was his real name (click here to see commentary for 2 Samuel 3:3). The truth is no one knows for sure, there is a lot of speculation, but nothing in Scripture. It is believed that he died at an early age, but again nothing stated.
Didn’t David Know?
When we read the about Absalom’s antics, especially during the four years of him sitting at one of the gates into Jerusalem, how is it possible that David remained in the dark as to what was going on? Plus, it seems odd that Absalom would wait four years to pay God for a vow, would that not potentially be suspicious? There are perhaps several viewpoints, including: 1) David knew but did nothing about it; 2) he suspected something but only watched from a distance; 3) he knew and was watching carefully; or 4) he knew nothing about what his son was up to. It is likely that he knew that Absalom would try something soon as evidenced by his own “spy network” that will report to him in the following verse, but this is only speculation.
David Leaves Jerusalem
15:13 And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.”
The identification of the messenger is not stated, but he appears to be a loyal-to-David messenger, perhaps even a spy among Absalom’s men. Regardless, he carries an important message, the people of Israel are favoring Absalom as their king.
15:14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
Upon hearing the message, David orders an evacuation of Jerusalem. He tells everyone to move quickly as Absalom could strike soon and overtake the city.
15:15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” 16 So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.
David’s servants were ready to do as he ordered and they began to move the king’s family. David had ten of his concubines stay and take care of the house. The rest left Jerusalem and he soon stopped to allow his servants and loyal mercenaries to pass in front of them.
15:18 And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.
David’s servants proceed out of the city followed by the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites, including one Gittite named Ittai.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” 22 And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
This recent Gittite arrival got David’s attention, he calls him over and asks him why is he leaving town with them? He tells him to stay in the city as he is a foreigner and only arrived the day before. He further suggests for him and his brothers return to Jerusalem, as he is not sure where they will be going. But Ittai responded, “I vow by the LORD and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.” (2 Samuel 15:21b, NLT) So David said come! And Ittai and all of his men and their families then proceeded on.
15:23 And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.
As David, his family, and men passed by various families and settlements, the people knew what was happening and were saddened to see David leave Jerusalem. The brook Kidron (or Kidron Valley) flowed (when it had water) south and was directly adjacent on the east side of Jerusalem (between the Mount of Olives and the city). We are told that they were heading toward the wilderness (Hebrew miḏ·bār’, can be desert, pasture, or forest) and due to some variations of early Septuagint manuscripts, which include “by way of the olive tree,” most believe they were heading east toward the wilderness of Judah, in between Jerusalem and Jericho.
15:24 And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”
Abiathar and Zadok, both high ranking priests, approach David with the Levities carrying the Ark of the Covenant. But David did not want the ark to leave Jerusalem. He told Zadok if YHWH finds favor in him then he will return to see both the Ark and the dwelling place where it rests. So the Ark remained in Jerusalem.
15:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.
David asked Zadok, “Are you not a seer?” He calls Zadok a seer (Hebrew rô·ʾě(h)’, a verb meaning to see, to gain understanding, to spy, this is not necessarily a reference to being a prophet), essentially he is asking Zadok to spy for him. David told him that he would go to and wait in the wilderness near the shallow waters of the Jordan River, and Zadok can send someone to keep him informed as to what is going on with Absalom. So, Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark back to Jerusalem with Zadok’s son, Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son, Jonathan, who would later become the messengers (see verse 36).
15:30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
David begins the trek out of the area, as they were traversing over the Mount of Olives, David was weeping with his head covered, and we are told that he was barefoot as well (each as signs of mourning, see Isaiah 20:2-4). Everyone who was with him were also weeping with their heads covered. David then heard that his trusted advisor, Ahithophel was one of the conspirators that joined Absalom. He then prays that whatever advice that Ahithophel offers to Absalom be nothing but foolishness.
15:32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head.
We are not told much about Hushai, the Archite (a person from the city of Arkat, see Joshua 16:2), we are told in 1 Chronicles 27:33 that he was a friend of David’s, who had a son that will serve later on Solomon’s administrative staff (see 1 Kings 4:16). As David approached the summit of the Mount of Olives (the text that refers to where God was worshiped is somewhat problematic and could refer to other gods being worshiped there as Solomon will do many years later, see 1 Kings 11:7, since this book was likely written after that period, it could be a reference to Solomon’s antics) Hushai came to meet David, he was also mourning as indicated by his torn clothing and dirt on his head.
15:33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
In what sounds like a rejection of a friend, David is not saying, “Go away, you’re a burden to me!” He is telling Hushai that he can be of great value to him if he acted that he was now loyal to Absalom and got into his inner-circle. He could counter any counsel that the traitor Ahithophel might give Absalom.
15:35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
David tells him that he could use Ahimaaz and Jonathan, the sons of Zadok and Abiathar, to feed intel to him while in hiding. Hushai apparently agrees and goes back to Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
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[1] Bergen, R. D. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 7, p. 396). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] The Hebrew word ʾǎr·bǎ·ʿîm’ represents forty (40) and not four (4), but since David only reigned for forty years and that some Septuagint manuscripts, the Targum, and Josephus each state four, it is accepted that the time period was actually four years.