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From Eternity Past
But the king’s solicitude, seeming to declare Absalom dearer to him
than the subjects faithful to his throne, only increased the indignation
of the soldiers against the unnatural son.
The place of battle was a wood near the Jordan. Among the thickets
and marshes of the forest, the great numbers of undisciplined troops
of Absalom’s army became confused and unmanageable. And “the
people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was
a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.”
Absalom, seeing that the day was lost, had turned to flee when his
head was caught between the branches of a widespreading tree, and,
his mule going out from under him, was left hopelessly suspended, a
prey to his enemies. He was found by a soldier, who spared Absalom
but reported to Joab what he had seen.
Joab was restrained by no scruples. He had befriended Absalom,
[540]
having twice secured his reconciliation with David, and the trust had
been shamelessly betrayed. But for the advantages gained by Absalom
through Joab, this rebellion could never have occurred. “And he took
three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom...
. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood,
and laid a very great heap of stones upon him.”
God’s Judgment on the Rebellion
Thus perished the instigators of rebellion in Israel. Ahithophel
had died by his own hand. The princely Absalom, whose beauty had
been the pride of Israel, had been cut down in his youth, his dead
body thrust into a pit and covered with a heap of stones, in token of
everlasting reproach.
The leader of the rebellion being slain, two messengers were at
once dispatched to bear the tidings to the king.
The second messenger came, crying, “Tidings, my lord the king:
for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against
thee.” From the father’s lips came the question, “Is the young man
Absalom safe?” Unable to conceal the heavy tidings, the herald an-
swered, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against
thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.” David questioned no
further, but with bowed head “went up to the chamber over the gate,
and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom! my son,