Absalom (Easton)

DIC dictionary-entry · status:draft · license:PD

Father of peace; i.e., 'peaceful' David's son by Maacah (2 Samuel 3:3; Compare 1 Kings 1:6 ). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Samuel 14:25,26 ). The first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon,"> StudyL ı ght .org Plug in, Turn on and Be En light ened! Not Yet a Member? Click to Sign Up Now! --> --> Bible Study Tools Lang uage Tools Study Lib rary Hist orical Writings Pas toral Resources Per sonal Resources Site Resources Lectionary Calendar Saturday, June 6th, 2026 the Week of Proper 4 / Ordinary 9 video advertismenet advertisement advertisement advertisement Attention! Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause! Click here to learn more! Home » Bible Dictionaries » Easton's Bible Dictionary » Letter A Bible Dictionaries Absalom Easton's Bible Dictionary Search for… Enter query below: or A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z Prev Entry Abronah Next Entry Acacia Resource Toolbox Print Article Additional Links Concordances Nave Topical Bible Salome Absalom Abishalom Scofield Reference Index Absalom Thompson Chain Reference Salome Absalom Treasury of Biblical Knowledge Hair, of Head, Oils & Gold Dust in, Baldness: & Beard, Absalom's Dictionaries American Tract Society Salome Absalom Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Absalom Chabad Knowledge Base Salome Alexandra Absalom Easton's Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom Fausset Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom Abishalom Holman Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom Abishalom Hitchcock Bible Names Salome Absalom Abishalom Hastings' BibleDictionary Salome Salom Absalom (only first 3 shown) Morrish Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom Abishalom 1910 New Catholic Dictionary Salome Absalom Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Salome Absalom People's Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom Smith Bible Dictionary Salome Absalom's Place Absalom's Pillar (only first 3 shown) Whyte's Bible Characters Absalom Wilson's Bible Types Absalom Webster Dictionary Abalone Watson's Theological Dictionary Absalom Salome Encyclopedias 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Abalone Absalom Absalon (only first 3 shown) International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Abishalom Absalom (1) Absalom (2) (only first 3 shown) Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Absalom Absalom's Tomb Salome McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Abishalom Absalom Absalom (1210) (only first 3 shown) The Nuttall Encyclopedia Absalom The Catholic Encyclopedia Absalom Absalon of Lund Salome The Jewish Encyclopedia Abishalom Absalom Absalom (2) (only first 3 shown) Lexicons ܫܳܠܽܘܡ Σαλώμη אֲבִישָׁלוֹם , אַבְשָׁלוֹם Father of peace; i.e., "peaceful" David's son by Maacah ( 2 Samuel 3:3 ; Compare 1 Kings 1:6 ). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head ( 2 Samuel 14:25,26 ). The first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon, David's eldest son, who had basely wronged Absalom's sister Tamar. This revenge was executed at the time of the festivities connected with a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor. David's other sons fled from the place in horror, and brought the tidings of the death of Amnon to Jerusalem. Alarmed for the consequences of the act, Absalom fled to his grandfather at Geshur, and there abode for three years ( 2 Samuel 3:3 ; 13:23-38 ). David mourned his absent son, now branded with the guilt of fratricide. As the result of a stratagem carried out by a woman of Tekoah, Joab received David's sanction to invite Absalom back to Jerusalem. He returned accordingly, but two years elapsed before his father admitted him into his presence ( 2 Samuel 14:28 ). Absalom was now probably the oldest surviving son of David, and as he was of royal descent by his mother as well as by his father, he began to aspire to the throne. His pretensions were favoured by the people. By many arts he gained their affection; and after his return from Geshur ( 2 Samuel 15:7 ; marg., RSV) he went up to Hebron, the old capital of Judah, along with a great body of the people, and there proclaimed himself king. The revolt was so successful that David found it necessary to quit Jerusalem and flee to Mahanaim, beyond Jordan; where upon Absalom returned to Jerusalem and took possession of the throne without opposition. Ahithophel, who had been David's chief counsellor, deserted him and joined Absalom, whose chief counsellor he now became. Hushai also joined Absalom, but only for the purpose of trying to counteract the counsels of Ahithophel, and so to advantage David's cause. He was so far successful that by his advice, which was preferred to that of Ahithophel, Absalom delayed to march an army against his father, who thus gained time to prepare for the defence. Absalom at length marched out against his father, whose army, under the command of Joab, he encountered on the borders of the forest of Ephraim. Twenty thousand of Absalom's army were slain in that fatal battle, and the rest fled. Absalom fled on a swift mule; but his long flowing hair, or more probably his head, was caught in the bough of an oak, and there he was left suspended till Joab came up and pierced him through with three darts. His body was then taken down and cast into a pit dug in the forest, and a heap of stones was raised over his grave. When the tidings of the result of that battle were brought to David, as he sat impatiently at the gate of Mahanaim, and he was told that Absalom had been slain, he gave way to the bitter lamentation: "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" ( 2 Samuel 18:33 . Compare Exodus 32:32 ; Romans 9:3 ). Absalom's three sons ( 2 Samuel 14:27 ; comp 18:18) had all died before him, so that he left only a daughter, Tamar, who became the grandmother of Abijah.

Source

• part_of source-manifest/easton — Easton's Bible Dictionary (PD)