Absalom

Absalom is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, the son of King David and Maacah, a prince of Israel. His name is Hebrew and is often interpreted as meaning “my father is peace” or “father of peace.” Absalom’s narrative centers on family conflict, vengeance, and political rebellion.

After his sister Tamar is raped by her half-brother Amnon, Absalom avenges her by killing Amnon. He then flees to his maternal grandfather in Geshur and remains in exile for a period. David eventually accepts him back, and Absalom returns to Jerusalem, though a period of estrangement follows and he does not immediately rejoin the king’s inner circle.

Absalom later leads a rebellion against David. He gains broad support by portraying himself as a just alternative to his father and proclaims himself king in Hebron. David flees Jerusalem to avoid a full-scale civil war. The two forces clash in the forest of Ephraim, where Absalom is killed in battle when his long hair becomes entangled in a tree, leaving him vulnerable to Joab and his men, who kill him.

David’s response to Absalom’s death is one of profound mourning, which the biblical text presents as a complex interplay of personal grief and political consequence. Absalom’s rebellion and death have a lasting impact on the course of David’s reign and on biblical themes concerning ambition, family strife, and the authority of kingship. The name Absalom has since become a literary symbol for a rebellious or dangerous son.