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2Sa_15:7; 2Sa_16:14
It may occur to many to ask, what motive he could have had to take a step so premature? There is, at the first view, a want of adequate motive, seeing that he was the eldest living son of the king, Note: Chileab, the son of David by Abigail; was born before him, but he appears to have died ere this time, for nothing is reported of him but the fact of his birth. and as his father was now advanced in life, the lapse of a few years more would, in the course of nature, place the crown upon his head. But if our previous statements have been understood, it must be clearly seen that under the Hebrew constitution the fact of his being the eldest son by no means insured the succession to him. No one had yet succeeded to the kingdom by right of primogeniture, and the principle of such succession was not as yet, therefore, established by a single precedent. Besides, David could not have failed to make his sons clearly understand that, although the crown was assured to his family, the nomination of the individual was with the Lord, and they needed not him to teach them that in the absence of any such nomination the power rested with himself of bequeathing the crown to any one of his sons he pleased. This alone was enough to make Absalom’s prospects in the future somewhat precarious. The Divine nomination of another plight at any time be interposed; and he had probably seen enough to feel that he was not to calculate too surely even upon his father’s preference. He knew, indeed, that he had no second place in his father’s heart, but enough had passed to satisfy him that he held no high place in that father’s judgment. More than this, it is our impression that David already knew that Solomon was, by the Lord’s appointment, to be his successor on the throne. In the promise made to David through Nathan, it was clearly indicated that a son not yet born was to sit upon his throne, and when Solomon was born he could not but understand that this applied to him. If he had any doubt of this, it must have been removed by his knowledge that the “Lord loved him,” and had, through Nathan, bestowed upon him the new name of Jedidiah (beloved of the Lord). 2Sa_12:24-25. It is even probable that he had long before the present time, if not from the first received those more distinct intimations of the Lord’s will in this matter, which he mentions in 1Ch_28:5-7; but this alone could not but have been enough to enable one so anxious as David to trace and act upon the Divine indications. Besides, we learn from 1Ki_1:17, that the king had pledged himself to Bathsheba, who must have been aware of all this, that her son should be his successor, or, in other words, that his choice should enforce these intimations, and that no impulses of affection or preference for any other son, should induce him to contravene them. Whether this pledge had been already given, is not clear; but as Solomon was now about fourteen years of age, and as the intimations we have traced were long before afforded, it is likely that the pledge which was founded on them had not been so long delayed.
Now, if David had not yet made this designation of Solomon publicly known, enough may have transpired, or have been surmised, to lead Absalom to think his succession, by right of primogeniture, to be in danger, and to feel that the danger would increase by lapse of time: and thus we perceive that, to a man of Absalom’s temper, there were motives for immediate action which do not at the first sight appear.
Absalom did not, however, plunge at once into open rebellion. He began, by assuming a semi-regal magnificence, to assert his rank as heir-apparent. He procured for himself chariots and horses—then a new, and therefore striking, luxury in Israel—and appeared abroad in much state, with fifty out-runners. The dignity thus assumed, rendered the more persuasive the blandishments by which he strove to seduce from their allegiance the suitors who repaired from all parts of the land to Jerusalem, and gave emphasis to his seditious insinuations, and his promises of redressing all public wrong. These people spread through the country, on their return home, glowing accounts of the inexpressible beauty of the king’s son, his gracious condescension, his sympathy with the poor and the oppressed, and the advantages that might be expected from his reign. In the striking words of the sacred historian, “So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel”—stole the hearts that belonged to his father.
When all appeared ripe for action, Absalom repaired to Hebron. with 200 men, and after seizing that strong town—the metropolis of David’s first kingdom—he caused himself to be proclaimed king by sound of trumpet in several parts of Israel at once. The king was confounded and dismayed at the suddenness of the outbreak, and apparently wide disaffection to his government and person which its extent implied. As news came to him that one place after another had proclaimed Absalom, he felt as if all were falling away from him, and that he could rely only upon the foreign guards, whom, under the names of Gittites, Cherethites, and Pelethites, he had in the course of years gathered around his person. With these he marched out of Jerusalem, purposing, if need were, to proceed to the country beyond the Jordan, and there collect his resources and watch the progress of events. From the people beyond the river he had received many proofs of attachment, and his wars had brought him much into connection with them, and had materially advanced their prosperity; and he thought that he might count on their fidelity. The geographical position was also well suited to his purpose, and the step seems to have been under all the circumstances, the best that could have been taken.
Even in departing the king received many proofs of attachment, which must have refreshed his heart. Some, indeed, might be supposed to serve his cause better by remaining at Jerusalem than by going with him. Among them was Hushai, an esteemed friend, who was prevailed upon to return, for the express purpose of endeavoring to neutralize the counsels of Ahithophel, a crafty but most able man, who had been high in the councils of David, and whose defection seems to have disturbed him more than any single incident of this melancholy affair. Such faith had he in this man’s sagacity, that he apprehended Absalom’s chief power lay in the possession of such a counsellor; and hence his anxiety to prevent his advice from being followed. This dangerous mission was undertaken by Hushai, who performed it well.
The sympathy of the priestly body was also entirely with David. Both the high-priests, Abiathar and Zadok, were not only prepared to go with him, but they caused the ark of the covenant to be brought out, to be borne away with the king. David was deeply affected at this sight; but he declined to avail himself of the advantage which the presence; of the ark and of the high-priests would have given to his cause. He directed them to take it back, and to remain themselves in the city—“Carry back the ark of God into the city,” he said; “if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his holy habitation.”
It was, nevertheless, a hard thing thus to be compelled to wander forth in his old age from his beloved city, his pleasant home, and the place of the Lord’s tabernacle; and to find himself thus forsaken by his own subjects, who owed so much to him, and by the friends in whom he had trusted; and all this at the instance and by the contrivance of the son whom he loved so well. No wonder that he departed as a mourner—“David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered; and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.” No more striking picture of a great man under adversity was ever drawn than these simple words portray. The conduct of David throughout—his goodness, resignation, and patience, is clearly evinced in all these trying scenes. This, as Dr. Chalmers observes, “marks strongly his subdued and right spirit; partly induced, we doubt not, by the humility of his own conscious transgressions. He fell, but it was the fall of the upright, and he rose again; submitting himself meekly, in the mean time, to the will of God.”
His patience had a further trial on the way. As he went on by the pass of Bahurim, one Shimei, a near relation of Saul, cast stones and bitter curses at him, as one whom vengeance had at last overtaken, for all the evil he had done to the house of Saul. The indignation of Abishai was naturally roused at this; and with the instinctive impulse of the sons of Zeruiah towards blood, he begged David to let him go over and take off the venomous scoundrel’s head. But David saw the hand of God even in this, and he refused. “Behold, my son seeketh my life, how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look upon mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.” This was the true spirit which makes chastisement profitable. David is always great in affliction. His soul is prospering largely amid these circumstances of mental trial and personal suffering.
So David pursued his sorrowful way until he reached the plains of Jericho and the banks of the Jordan, where be awaited such tidings as might direct his further course.