2 Samuel 14:25-15:12

Contemporary English Version

Absalom Was Handsome

²⁵ No one in all Israel was as handsome and well-built as Absalom. ²⁶ His hair grew so thick and heavy that when he got it cut once a year, it weighed over two kilograms.

²⁷ Absalom had three sons. He also had a daughter named Tamar, who grew up to be very beautiful.

Absalom Finally Sees David

²⁸ Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. ²⁹ He wanted Joab to talk to David for him. So one day he sent a message asking Joab to come over, but Joab refused. Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused. ³⁰ Finally, Absalom told his servants, “Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!” And they did.

³¹ Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

³² Absalom answered, “You didn't pay any attention when I sent for you. I want you to ask my father why he told me to come back from Geshur. I was better off there. I want to see my father now! If I'm guilty, let him kill me.”

³³ Joab went to David and told him what Absalom had said. David sent for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed very low, and David leaned over and kissed him.

Absalom Rebels against David

15 Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had 50 men run in front. ² He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate.^[a] Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, “Where are you from?”

If they said, “I'm from a tribe in the north,” ³ Absalom would say, “You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours. ⁴ I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone.”

⁵ Whenever anyone came to Absalom and started bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. ⁶ That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David.

⁷ Four years^[b] later, Absalom said to David, “Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the Lord, ⁸ when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the Lord would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.”^[c]

⁹ David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron. ^10-12 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come.

More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ”