Absalom (part 1)

Now David’s son Absalom… - 2 Samuel 13:1a  (NET)

In this way we are introduced to David’s son, Absalom.  The story of Absalom well embodies the ongoing story of Israel, founded in the exodus by which they were defined (a life and worldview practically centered upon a remembrance of the Passover) and almost always at risk of being exiled from their promised land, if they failed to uphold the covenant responsibilities that had been assigned to them.  We are introduced to him by way of the story of the rape of his sister, Tamar.  Chapter thirteen of second Samuel begins with “Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar” (13:1a).  For some reason, Tamar is not presented as David’s daughter, but rather, as Absalom’s sister.  We are told that Amnon, another of David’s sons “fell madly in love with Tamar” (13:1b).  This “love” eventually resulted in her being raped by Amnon.  Obviously, Tamar is humiliated and disgraced.  A pall of exile is cast over her life.

Afterwards, “Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom” (13:20b), and “Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar” (13:22b).  Absalom understood that Amnon, through his actions, had brought the shame of exile to his sister.  She was suffering.  In due time, he planned on bringing her vindication, through killing Amnon.  Absalom held a grudge against Amnon for a considerable length of time, and we find that the story of Absalom’s revenge picks up “Two years later” (13:23a).  Absalom conceived a plan by which he could secure his revenge, and send Amnon into the exile of death.  We go on to learn that, after Amnon’s demise has been accomplished, “This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar” (13:32b). 

With Amnon’s death, Absalom most likely feels as if he has brought vindication to his sister, somehow relieving her of the shame and disgrace that she has experienced.  However, in the process of doing what he believed would bring his sister’s suffering to an end, and thus providing her with something like exodus, Absalom brings exile upon himself.  Surely, Absalom calculated this as part of the risk of what he was undertaking, and would have imagined that something like this might be necessary.  We read that “Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur” (13:37a).  Absalom’s exile brought a measure of exile to David himself, as part of him was bound up with his son, so “David grieved over his son every day” (13:37b).  Interestingly, Absalom’s self-imposed exile lasted longer than his grudge against Amnon.  While he plotted against Amnon for two full years, Absalom remained in Geshur for three years (13:38).  Throughout that time, “the king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon” (13:39). 

This correlates rather well with the broad narrative scheme of the Scriptures that begins with the first exile---an exile that was truly self-imposed---which was that of Adam and Eve.  Though obviously their exile began on a different basis from that of Absalom, in that they did not commit a vengeful murder, they did, in fact, bring death upon themselves and upon the whole of their progeny.  It is not surprising then, to find that vengeful murder is in the heart of one of their sons, as evidenced by Cain’s jealousy-fueled murder of his brother Abel.  Having brought death, Adam and Eve were exiled from the place of God’s presence, from the Garden of Eden, and from God’s good creation.  Like Absalom, fleeing from possible punishment, their exile began with their attempting to flee from God by hiding themselves in the garden. 

Adam, of course, represents all of humanity.  Though humanity was in exile, we can be assured that God longed to have a relationship with the beings that He had created in His own image, as God was, most assuredly, bound together with His creation.  We can be assured that the Creator God longed to see His creation, and longed to see humanity and the whole of His once good creation restored to goodness and right relationship with Him, because God would eventually summon Abraham so as to put in motion His project of putting things right in the world.  Yes, just as David longed to go to Absalom, so too did the God of creation yearn for a restoration.  David was consoled over the death of Amnon, however, he did not take action based upon this consolation, nor upon his desire to be with his son.  God, desirous of consolation over the death that entered into the world and which had come upon mankind, and desirous of mending that broken relationship so as to recover what had been lost, entered into history in order to do something about it.  God wanted to bring exodus to exile.