The Old King David (975-970)
David was nearly seventy. He was an old soldier worn out by the strenuous campaigns of his youth and maturity. But he was to be unable to look forward to ending his days in his imposing capital city of Yerusalem, in a calm and peaceful atmosphere. His last years were to be clouded by terrible family tragedies and palace revolutions. David had committed two crimes and the simple theology of the period still believed in the exclusively temporal idea of reward or punishment of the creature on this earth. As a consequence, before his death he would have to expiate the evil that he had done.
Violent End Of The Family Of Saul
For three years there had been terrible famine in the kingdom. Seeking YAHWEH had revealed that There is blood on Saul and his family because he put the Gibeonites to death. This was an old story whose origins went back some two centuries. In the time Yahshua Ben Nun and the invasion of the land of Canaan by the Hebrews the inhabitants of Gibeon (Canaanites) had made a treaty with the Yisraelites; Yahshua Ben Nun had promised the Gibeonites under oath that the Chosen People would always protect them. This was a set apart undertaking, made in the presence of YAHWEH. Subsequently Saul, engaged in the task of overcoming the 'foreign' enclaves in the Promised Land had violated the pact and the Gibeonite population had been masset apart without mercy.
David hastened to offer to the Gibeonites -the descendants of the survivors of Saul's massacre monetary compensation. They refused categorically: blood, they answered, demanded blood. They requested, in accordance with the harsh law of the period, that the seven descendants of Saul should be handed over to them. At once they were put to death, dismembered, and their remains exposed on a gibbet in the shape of a fork where the birds could devour them.
Thus the blood of the Gibeonites received satisfaction and from that time the famine ceased. It should not be forgotten that the Gibeonites belonged to the Canaanite religion and, according to an ancient polytheistic belief, human blood restores fertility.
Although this savage execution benefited the royal house of David, which thus witnessed the disappearance of the last representatives of Saul's family, David was greatly upset by this bloodthirsty ceremony of expiation. It was wholly unjust of his opponents to blame him on several occasions for having contrived it. But this was merely the raising of the curtain. Far more painful trials, of a more personal nature, now awaited the old king.
Absalom, David's Second Son, Openly Rebels Against His Father
Like most of David's family, Absalom was extremely handsome. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was not a blemish on him, the Scriptures tells us. His face was surmounted by a fine head of hair, famous throughout the kingdom. Tamar, Absalom's half-sister, was also of bewitching beauty. Now Amnon, David's eldest son (but not by the same mother as Absalom and Tamar) fell deeply in love with his half-sister; he pretended to be ill and had Tamar sent to him. Despite her cries he overpowered her and raped her, and then had her thrust out into the street.
Frantic with disgust and shame Tamar tore the sleeves of her tunic and covered her head with dust; then, placing her hand on her head (the gesture of mourners) she sought refuge with her brother Absalom. It was not difficult to foresee the end of the tragedy. Indeed, the responsibility for subsequent events was very largely David's, for he seems to have ignored his eldest son's dishonorable behavior. Towards his sons he was to display very great weakness.
Absalom's vindictive spirit was well known through out the country, but surprisingly there was no reaction from him at all. Two years after these events, when the sheep-shearers were at Baalhazor, a village near Yerusalem, he cordially invited his brothers to the festivities which traditionally marked the end of this important pastoral operation. Amnon might well have supposed that his younger brother had forgotten what had happened, and so he attended the feast. At the end of the meal, when he least expected it, he was brutally, struck down by Absalom's servants. Tamar was avenged.
At once, all the other brothers, believing that they too; were in imminent danger, rushed to the stables, jumped on their mules and hurried back to Yerusalem. David thus heard of the tragedy; he wept bitterly for his eldest son. But still showing great weakness he never even protested at Absalom's cowardly action. Absalom however, had taken flight. Three years later, through the active support of Joab he was allowed to return to Yerusalem, but his father still refused to receive him at court. Two more years passed. Finally Joab was successful in obtaining Absalom's complete pardon. David gave him the kiss of peace.
There were two consequences of the murder of Amnon: Absalom avenged the injury done to his sister Tamar, but also, by the death of his eldest brother, Absalom became the heir to the crown.
Absalom awaited the death of his father so that he could become king. It seemed to him that the old king was taking a long time to die. Then, too, he had to foil any royal decisions that might be promulgated at the last moment. David, in a very weak physical condition, was quite capable of designating on his deathbed another of his sons as his successor, for at that period the law of primogeniture was by no means firmly established. Absalom had made up his mind; he prepared the ground by gathering round him all those in the kingdom who were discontented. And they were numerous. There were Judaeans who found David far too generous and considerate to the Yisraelites; there were Yisraelites who could not get accustomed to the idea of being governed by a Judaean; there were Binyaminites who regarded David as a usurper, and the murderer (it was quite untrue) of the last of Saul's family. Despite all that he had accomplished in the spiritual, political and military spheres, achievements bearing the stamp of genius, David received only hate and ingratitude. Absalom, using the methods of a cunning demagogue, offered himself to the country with a policy entirely opposed to that of his father. Everywhere he was received with enthusiasm. David was well aware of his son's plotting, but he did nothing, showing in the matter great weakness again.
The die was cast; rebellion broke out. Absalom assembled his forces at Hebron and marched on Yerusalem. At once almost all the kingdom came out against David in favour of his rebel son. To avoid a fearful encounter David decided to leave Yerusalem and go into exile. Fortunately his army -the Thirty, the gibborim and the foreign troops -remained faithful to him. With his soldiers he left the Qadash City.
It was a mournful procession. David had not wanted the Ark of the Covenant to leave the city. 'Should I win the favour of YAHWEH,' he said, 'he will bring me back and permit me to see it and its dwelling place again. But should he say, I take no pleasure in you," then here I am, let him deal with me as he likes.' His robes torn, his head covered and his feet bare, his face bathed in tears, the old king went down to the valley of Kidron and then up to the Mount of Olives; following the whole procession of people, who were weeping as they went, he set out for Jericho.
In the city he had left ten of his concubines. The kohens Zadok and Abiathar, and David's counsellor Hushai had all wished to follow him into exile. Cunningly, David had decided otherwise: his three devoted servants were to remain in Yerusalem where they would pretend to espouse the cause of Absalom. There in the usurper's court they would act as secret agents for the dethroned king, they would give perfidious advice to Absalom and by means of a clandestine organization of messengers would keep David in touch with the political situation.
As the caravan came near to the village of Bahurim, a Binyaminite, Shimei, suddenly appeared by the side of the road. He belonged to the same clan as Saul, the late king. When he saw David he began to curse him and insult him. 'Be off, be off man of blood, scoundrel!' he exclaimed. And he followed David, throwing stones. Abishai, the leader of the warriors, suggested that he should cut off Shimei's head. The king stopped him. 'Let him curse,' he said. 'If YAHWEH said to him, "Curse David': what right has anyone to say, "Why have you done this?" The caravan went sadly on its way.
Absalom was welcomed in Yerusalem with shouts of Long live the king! Long live the king! By his side marched Ahithophel, one of David's friends and Counsellors who had betrayed the confidence of his former master. Very soon Absalom was anointed king. Without more ado he seized the harem that his father had left at Yerusalem. This was a political gesture: the conqueror of a king hastened to take possession of the royal harem, for in this way he affirmed and proclaimed his annexation of power. Thus was fulfilled one of the prophecies of Nathan when he foretold this public affront as a punishment for David's adultery with Bathesheba.
At the head of his troops Absalom set off in pursuit of his father. The battle took place near Mahanaim, Before it began David, broken-hearted, besought Joab and the officers of the royal army to spare Absalom, his heir and beloved son, if he came within range of their lances or javelins. Joab shrugged his shoulders. He had a battle to win and he had made up his mind to win it.
Under the leadership of the intrepid Joab the army lost no time in cutting Absalom's army in pieces. Put to rout completely, the rebel forces fled in all directions. Absalom on his mule galloped into the: forest. At one place the mule passed under the thick branches of a great oak; its rider's neck was caught inextricably among the branches while the mule went on. Absalom remained hanging, unable to free himself. (He was not caught by his hair, as has frequently, but mistakenly, been reported.) One of David's warriors discovered him in this helpless position; Joab was at once informed and came to the place. Despite the king's urgent request to Joab not to kill Absalom if the chance of battle were to bring the two men face to face, Joab seized three javelins and plunged them into Absalom's heart. Joab's armour bearers then cut him down, the body was thrown into a deep pit dug in the forest and a great cairn was built over the grave. Then Joab had the signal given on the trumpet announcing the end of the battle.
David heard with relief the news of the victory, but he, was stricken with grief when told of his son's death. He began to shudder and weep. He went up to the room over the gate of Mahanaim, covered his head as a sign of mourning and in a terrible fit of despair, forgetting all the wrongs perpetrated by his dead son, cried out aloud 'My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! This angered Joab. He went up to the room in which the king had taken refuge and spoke sharply: 'You are covering yourself with shame,' he said. And he led him out to the gate of the city before which the victorious army was parading in triumph.
Then came the return to Yerusalem. Those in the capital who had unwisely acclaimed Absalom now crowded round David, congratulating him on his victory and assuring him of their unshakable loyalty. Unashamedly they vied with each other to pay him all sorts of fullsome compliments. David preferred to show mercy. There was no settling of past accounts, no purge. The king regained his throne -bruised and sorrow-stricken, his soul filled with bitterness.
There was another rebellion. Fortunately, on this occasion the instigator did not belong to the royal family; he was a Binyaminite ('a scoundrel' according the Scriptures) of the name of Sheba. Joab, of course, was given the task of quelling this further rebellion. He went in pursuit of the rebel and came up with him in the region of Dan, at the northern border of the land of Yisrael, Iaid siege to the citadel in which Sheba had taken refuge and obtained his head. So the matter was settled.
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