Songs for Tamar

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14

(Absalom Rebels)

The next morning Tamar hugged and kissed Absalom before he left the courtyard. As he returned her hug, he whispered, "Your life may be in danger after I depart, do not leave the safety of the house."

Absalom then kissed Jesse on his cheek. "Jesse, you have been my friend even when a practical man would have abandoned me. I leave you to your love and your duty. They are both the same." Absalom then said, "I have business today with the king. Then I must take my larger escort to Hebron." He paused, turning to Jesse. "If my servant says come to your brother-in-law at the palace, you will know that I have called for you. You can trust him to follow him. Another trusted servant will guard my house in your absence."

Absalom then went to the palace to stand before the king. "If I have found favor in your eyes, I ask leave to go to Hebron in order to worship there. I will take more men than usual with me because they must carry a large number of my flocks there for sacrifice."

King David stepped forward, "My son, I love you. Go in peace and serve the Lord."

Absalom met with the elders, and then they sent riders out  to send word in secret for Judah and Israel to meet there to proclaim Absalom him king at Hebron, where his father first ruled. It took three days for Absalom to amass an army large enough to challenge King David. David had his large bodyguard of six hundred, which made up the nucleus of his army. The provinces by tradition had supplied soldiers with mattocks, spears, clubs, and occasional sickle swords.

As Absalom had feared, all of Bethlehem remained loyal to King David. He therefore sent a raiding party there and took captives. These he threatened to kill if they did not follow him.

They sent word back. "If you kill the king's family, their blood will be on your head and your family."

In his anger, Absalom had them hanged. When he came to his senses, he cried out that his rage now placed Tamar and Jesse in mortal danger. They would now be held accountable for murders he himself had committed. Jesse would have his hands full just keeping her alive.

The men of Bethlehem reasoned that King David would retreat in the direction of the Jordan when Absalom marched on Jerusalem. If their king was lucky, he would reach the Jordan River by Jericho. They arranged to slip soldiers down toward the Dead Sea through the desert that they knew well and hoped to join him if he escaped capture. They would then be among the first loyal servants to swell David's meager ranks.

Absalom had his followers to sound the trumpets and shout "Absalom has become king at Hebron!" Absalom had chosen Hebron because it was an easy city to defend. He knew that if he were unsuccessful in his struggle against King David, he could withdraw there. Somehow he believed he could take advantage of his father's love. King David would ask Absalom to surrender rather than lay a lengthy siege against him. Absalom believed that at worst he would be allowed to remain king at Hebron. He would be humiliated but would still have a base from which to take over the whole of Israel when his father died.

It surprised many men that Absalom would behave with such ruthlessness. Out of fear for their lives, they pledged their loyalty to him as well.

But Absalom was sure that he would be victorious against his father, and he would kill him just as he had killed Amnon. With confidence Absalom started his march toward Jerusalem before King David would have time to escape.

A messenger reported to David, "The Israelites have pledged their loyalty to Absalom!"

King David brought in his officials and Joab. "Are we able to meet Absalom in battle at this time?"