2 Samuel 15:1

ABSALOM KICKED OFF HIS REBELLION AGAINST DAVID

Promptly upon his being restored to favor by the king, Absalom initiated his campaign to seize the throne. It is hard to understand why David did not understand what Absalom was doing and terminate it, but he seems never to have been suspicious of Absalom's activities until his rebellious son had himself anointed king in Hebron.

ABSALOM'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE KING

"After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit 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 of Israel," Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear you." Absalom said moreover, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice." And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him. This Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel."

"A chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him" (2 Samuel 15:1). This ostentation by Absalom should have alerted David to his son's intentions. Throughout history, the first step of any man seeking to usurp power was to procure a bodyguard. Herodotus tells us how Pisistratus seized control of Athens by means of that very procedure.[1] It was unusual for Israelites to ride in chariots drawn by horses, and the practice was frowned upon by God's prophets. Samuel had warned Israel that their king which they demanded would, "Take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be horsemen, and to run before his chariots" (1 Samuel 9:11). "Absalom probably learned this kind of display from his grandfather the pagan king of Geshur, at whose court he had resided during the three years of his exile."[2]

By these bold actions, which were no doubt popular in Israel, Absalom was making a bid to become king eventually and to be received as the heir-apparent to David. "Fifty footmen running before him (in rich liveries we may suppose), thus giving notice of his approach, would highly gratify his pride and the people's foolish fancy."[3]

However, Absalom had no intention of waiting until his father's death in order to succeed him. "David had not taken any steps to designate a successor, and a rule of succession had not been established for the monarchy. The death of Saul and Jonathan had set a precedent against hereditary rule."[4]

"Oh that I were judge in the land" (2 Samuel 15:4). "He who himself should have been judged to death for murder had the impudence to aim at being the judge of others."[5] The arrogant conceit of this charlatan was not contained within any boundaries whatever.

"Then every man ... might come to me, and I would give him justice" (2 Samuel 15:4). "How much Absalom really cared for the rights of others may be seen in his arrogant and crooked dealings with Joab (2 Samuel 14:28-33)."[6]

"Whenever a man came to do obeisance ... he took hold of him ... and kissed him" (2 Samuel 15:5). This was Absalom's way of feigning an "equality" with the people; he interrupted their intentions to bow down before him by embracing and kissing them. No doubt this type of flattery won him many adherents to his cause.

"It is a mistake to suppose that David altogether neglected his judicial duties. We have just noted that the woman from Tekoa easily found access to the king's ears; and, besides that, the reason Absalom had to arise early is that it was an early hour when the king heard the suits brought before him. Note also that it was the plaintiffs who were on their way to the king's tribunal whom Absalom accosted, and whom he made to believe that he would have decided in their favor regardless of the merits of the various cases."[7] Absalom's conduct in this underhanded attack against his father was founded upon unscrupulous falsehood, deceit and hatred. Nevertheless, due to David's sins and the sorrows brought upon him by God's punishments, it must be considered very likely that to some degree David indeed had lost some of the concern and efficiency which once marked his efforts before the evil times fell upon him.

"Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (2 Samuel 15:6). His methods were the same as that of any demagogue; he promised everyone whom he met that he would give them what they wanted if only he were in authority. He pretended that he was interested in justice for every one. "He showed interest in the private lives of the people and made a pretence of protecting the poor and the lowly, insinuating that the government was incompetent and that if he were in power everything would be different."[8] All of this, of course, was as phony as similar pretensions by current seekers of political office, but the people were deceived by it, reminding us of the words of Voltaire who declared that, "The public is a ass"!