Rebellion of Absalom
661
right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee;” adding,
“O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any
suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it
was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he
put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.”
Fomented by the artful insinuations of the prince, discontent with
the government was fast spreading. The praise of Absalom was on
the lips of all. He was generally regarded as heir to the kingdom; the
people looked upon him with pride as worthy of this high station, and
a desire was kindled that he might occupy the throne. “So Absalom
stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” Yet the king, blinded by affection
for his son, suspected nothing. The princely state which Absalom
had assumed, was regarded by David as intended to do honor to his
court—as an expression of joy at the reconciliation.
The minds of the people being prepared for what was to follow,
Absalom secretly sent picked men throughout the tribes, to concert
measures for a revolt. And now the cloak of religious devotion was
assumed to conceal his traitorous designs. A vow made long before
while he was in exile must be paid in Hebron. Absalom said to the
king, “I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed
unto the Lord, in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode
at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed
to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.” The fond father, comforted
with this evidence of piety in his son, dismissed him with his blessing.
The conspiracy was now fully matured. Absalom’s crowning act of
hypocrisy was designed not only to blind the king but to establish the
confidence of the people, and thus to lead them on to rebellion against
the king whom God had chosen.
Absalom set forth for Hebron, and there went with him “two hun-
dred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their
simplicity, and they knew not anything.” These men went with Absa-
lom, little thinking that their love for the son was leading them into
rebellion against the father. Upon arriving at Hebron, Absalom imme-
diately summoned Ahithophel, one of the chief counselors of David,
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a man in high repute for wisdom, whose opinion was thought to be
as safe and wise as that of an oracle. Ahithophel joined the conspir-
ators, and his support made the cause of Absalom appear certain of
success, attracting to his standard many influential men from all parts