In the Deuteronomic
curses, Moses informs the Creator God’s people that one of the curses that will
come upon them for their failure to obey their God’s commands (of which David
was certainly guilty) would be that “You will be engaged to a woman and another
man will rape her” (Deuteronomy 28:30a). This is not strictly analogous
to what Nathan has told David, or to what it has been suggested that Absalom
do, as neither this God’s threat through Nathan nor Ahithophel’s suggestion to
Absalom carries with it (at least on the surface) the connotation of violence
or force, but it can probably be thought of as being connected closely enough
to drive home the point to David that he has violated his God’s commands.
Additionally,
Ahithophel apparently sees a close enough connection in that it will play well
into Absalom’s ongoing effort to show himself as a true deliverer in the mold
of Moses, thereby allowing Absalom to continue co-opting the most powerful
story of Israel’s history for his own purposes. Furthermore, it adds to
Absalom’s claim to be a just man and the one that is used by the covenant God
to deliver justice to Israel. This is especially and strikingly so if
Absalom is the means by which the prophecy (judgment) related to cursing that
had been delivered to David by Nathan is fulfilled.
This merely cements
the notion that David is no longer fit to be king, while also pointing to the
fact that the story of Bathsheba and David, and the oppression and injustice
that the story entails, has been made known in Israel. If it has not,
then there is no real point in Absalom engaging in sexual relations with his
father’s concubines, unless it is also being used to indicate that just as
David has forsaken these wives of his, that he has also forsaken his care of
the people of Israel as well.
The second part of
Ahithophel’s response to the request to provide advice to Absalom is to say
that “All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father.
Then your followers will be motivated to support you” (2 Samuel 16:21b).
Yes, Ahithophel suggests that this will be viewed by the people as Absalom
being willing to be cursed by his very own father, if it indeed means justice
for Israel. This is powerful symbolism. Absalom will be seen to be willing to bear
that pain and shame on behalf of the people, with this becoming a messianic
role. In a society based upon honor and shame, this is a calculated move
(though also prophetically fulfilling) to win further sympathy from the
people.
Does this aid Absalom
in his desire to be seen as Moses? Absolutely! Moses was willing to
forsake his father’s (Pharoah’s) house so as to identify himself with the
people suffering under the oppression of the king. Thinking beyond that however,
this might also be an attempt to entice David to retaliate against Absalom, who
up to this point has not lifted up his hand (nor asked anybody else to lift up
their hand) against his father.
David has left
willfully. He has abandoned his throne and fled from Jerusalem and
Absalom has peacefully entered to take that throne. There has been no bloodshed, violence, or
loss of life (except Amnon many years prior, but that has only tangential
bearing on the events at hand at that time). If David now turns and
raises sword and spear against Absalom and his supporters, then David is most
certainly to be likened to Pharaoh, who allowed Israel to depart from Egypt and
from his oppression peacefully, but then had a change of heart and set out to
recover the Israelites (and his power) by violent means.
