Absalom (died 1023 BC) was the third son of King David. Reputed to be the handsomest man in the kingdom, he rebelled against his father in 1025 BC and was slain by Joab at the Battle of the Wood of Ephraim in 1023 BC.
Biography[]
Absalom was the third son of King David of Israel with Maacah of Geshur, and he was the full brother of Tamar. Born in Hebron, he was raised in Jerusalem, and he won the hearts of many Israelites due to his good looks, charm, pomp, and royal pretensions. In 1032 BC, Absalom's covetous half-brother Amnon raped Tamar without punishment from King David, resulting in Absalom inviting Amnon to a feast in 1030 BC and murdering him. Absalom fled to Geshur until 1027 BC, when he was fully reinstated in David's favor. While there, Absalom spoke out against the judicial corruption of the United Kingdom of Israel, and he led a rebellion against his father in 1025 BC, establishing his capital at Hebron and publicly violating his father's concubines in fulfillment of Samuel's prophecy that David's adultery with Bathsheba would be repaid tenfold by one close to him. By 1024 BC, Absalom had amassed a large army, and, a year later, he met his father's army in battle at the Wood of Ephraim. Absalom's head was caught in the boughs of an oak tree during his retreat from the disastrous engagement, and David's general Joab - angry at Absalom for burning his barley - injured Absalom with three darts thrown at Absalom's heart, while ten of Joab's armor-bearers finished Absalom off. David was greatly pained from Absalom's death, crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" Absalom was buried in the Kidron Valley.