ABSALOM PARDONED For various reasons, Joab wished to reconcile David with his very beloved son Absalom; That is why he set a plan, that could be acceptable to all parties: the king, his son, and the people, to bring Absalom back from Geshor to Jerusalem. But although the king approved his return to Jerusalem, he insisted on not seeing his son for the duration of two years; for which Absalom had to use violence to press Joab to hasten to intercede for him. 1- Joab sends a wise woman to David 1-11 2- The woman opens her heart to David 12-20 3 Joab intercedes for Absalom 21-24 4- Absalom good looking appearance and his appeal to the people 25-27 5- Absalom applies pressure on Joab 28-33 1- Joab sends a wise woman to David: Joab wished to be the intercessor to reconcile David with Absalom for the following reasons: a- He knew for sure that David loved Absalom very much, longed to bring him back to Jerusalem, if it was not for his fear of criticism; That is why he found a way to realize that reconciliation, or at least to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem; something that would please David’s heart, even if he pretended otherwise. b- He knew that sooner or later the two of them would definitely be reconciled; So by achieving that role, he would gain favor with both parties. c- He knew that Absalom was very popular among the people; So if David died, people would be divided, between those who wanted him a king, and those who would harbor some doubts, on account of his father’s wrath on him, because he murdered his older brother Amnon ... Here a dissension with unpredictable results, would be inevitable. d- The return of Absalom, the murderer of his brother, after David pardons him, would alleviate David’s bad feelings toward Joab, because of his crime against Abner. All these reasons, made Joab resort to a wise woman from Tekoa, a village in Judah, close to Bethlehem, south-east of Jerusalem, that was the village of the prophet Amos. As Joab was from the same village, he heard about that woman, and made her acquaintance. He thought of a plan to keep David from discovering the real mission of that woman. Joab was aware of David’s heart, filled with love, especially toward the grieved and the afflicted; and in particular, the widows and orphans. That is why he planned for that woman to play the role of a mourning and very sad widow; She came to David, as though mourning for the dead; put on mourning apparel, and did not anoint herself with oil. She started telling the king her presumed story, made up to apply to Absalom condition, from numerous aspects; in order to draw from his mouth a promise and a vow of pardon, that would apply to both her fake son, and to his son Absalom. The woman of Tekoa fell before the king, on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, and asked him for help. She told him that she was a widow; that her two sons fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, so one 94 struck the other and killed him. Now the whole family had risen up against her, demanding the delivery of the killer, to execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and by that they would destroy the heir also; aiming to confiscate the inheritance. She begged for mercy for herself, and for a pardon for her son; as executing him would extinguish her amber that is left, and leave to her husband neither name nor remnant on earth. To that the king showed compassion, and promised to give orders concerning her (2 Samuel 14: 8). The woman was not satisfied with that reaction, but wished for a confirmation of a pardon, that would imply a cancellation of the Mosaic statute concerning the killing of the killer, saying: “Let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless” (2 Samuel 14: 9). The king promised her a pardon, saying to her: “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore” (2 Samuel 14: 10). Yet she was not content pretending to be in fear of the avenger of blood, lest he would destroy her son; to this the king swore: “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground” (2 Samuel 14: 11). By this vow, the verdict was issued from the mouth of king David, to pardon his son Absalom, the killer of his brother Amnon. And the woman managed to draw from David’s mouth successively: a- A promise to give orders concerning her (2 Samuel 14: 8). b- A verdict on the spot to her benefit. c- A promise to protect her from anyone who would try to harm her. d- A pardon for her son, and a protection against the avenger of blood. 2- The woman opens her heart to David: The woman from Tekoa managed to perform the first part of her act, drawing every thing she wanted from the mouth of the king; namely a complete pardon for the killer of his brother. Here, she took off her mask, to tell the king that, if he would give this judgment for someone of the people of God, so why did not he bring his banished one home; namely his son Absalom. Although the king was astonished for what the woman did, it found favor in his eyes, for the sake of his love to his son Absalom. The woman likened the people to a loving mother of her son Absalom, but without disregarding her murdered son Amnon. The king, though the avenger of blood in that case, and had the right to seek blood, he was committed to have compassion on the loving people, who demanded to pardon Absalom on his crime of killing Amnon. David could have debated with the woman, to reveal that her condition, on many aspects, did not apply to that of Absalom; that Absalom did not kill his brother during a sudden rage and temporary anger, but through a well planned plot; and that he could have reconsidered his action, or sought the counsel of someone; and that Absalom, was not alone, but had many brothers, who could inherit and bear their father’s name. Not trying to debate with the woman reveals a hidden wish in David’s heart, to bring his son back to Jerusalem. To confirm the necessity of bringing back Absalom, the woman offered David the following grounds for her requests, she said to him: a- “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? (2 95 Samuel 14: 13). It is as though she is saying to him: If you are having compassion on a widow, to pardon her killer son, how much more it is fitting for you to care for the feelings of the whole people of God, who love Absalom, and to give it some consideration! b- “For we will surely die” (2 Samuel 14: 14).By that She probably meant that, as our days are very few, we should bear with each other and forgive one another; Let us live our days in peace and joy, for the edification of the congregation. Or she probably meant that all will die; and Amnon had to die. He was murdered; yet even if Absalom did not kill him, he would have died just the same. So forgive, as Amnon will never return to life in this world; and Absalom exile would not solve the problem. c- “God does not take away a life” (2 Samuel 14: 14). She meant that, as natural death is inevitable in its unknown time, God wants mercy, and does not want us to take away the life of any of our brethren. She is probably also referring to David himself, who, though deserved to die, God did not take away his soul but forgave him; So we also, should forgive each other. d- “Because the people have made me afraid” (2 Samuel 14: 15). The people representing the mother who lost her beloved son Amnon, were demanding the return of her other son Absalom; and (made her afraid) lest she would fail in her appeal to David. Wisely, the woman ended her talk by praising him, saying: “The word of my Lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my Lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you” (2 Samuel 14: 17). Here, David doubted that Joab’s hand must be with that woman in all this. and asking her, she , in humility and wisdom, told him the truth, lest the king’ anger would arise against Joab, she said:“He put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. To bring about this change of affairs, your servant Joab has done this thing; but my Lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel, to know all things that are in the earth” (2 Samuel 14: 20). No doubt, that woman deserves to be commended, for her wisdom melded with humility, by which she could get her heart wish, not for her own benefit, but for the sake of the peace of the congregation, and to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. St. (Mar) Isaac the Syrian talks to us about the necessity of mixing wisdom or discernment with humility; saying: [Humility with discernment is a true knowledge.... The true knowledge is the fountain of humility ... He, who is humble in heart, is humble in flesh1]. 3- Joab intercedes for Absalom: The king commanded Joab to carry out that matter, for which he sent the woman to him. Joab expressed his gratitude by falling to the ground on his face and bowing himself before the king; counting it as an honor that the king had fulfilled his request, and had commanded him to carry out the matter by himself.. In our previous talk, in the same chapter, about the reasons for which Joab requested the return of Absalom to Jerusalem, we did not mention among them, that Joab ever loved Absalom; But the matter had been all political: to gain the friendship of the king and his son, and the admiration of the people; That is why we do not marvel, to see 1 hom. 64. 96 him, eventually kill Absalom (2 Samuel 18: 14), then rebuke the king for his intense mourning for him (2 Samuel 19: 5,7). The king ordered the return of Absalom to his house, but with a condition that he should not show his face to the king (2 Samuel 14: 24); for the following reasons: a- Lest the people would see the king as not caring for Amnon’s blood. b- To let Absalom know that he should first humiliate himself, and present repentance. c- He feared that Absalom, by going in and out, would attain publicity that may support his claim for the throne after him; as he has promised Bathsheba that her son Solomon would be the one to ascend the throne. 4- Absalom good –looking appearance and his appeal to the people: Absalom was not commended, except for his good looks that captivated the hearts of people: “In all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him” (2 Samuel 14: 25). His hair was very dense and beautiful; he anointed it with oils, and probably adorned it with gold powder, that added to its beauty and weight. Each year, he used to cut it and weigh it, as was the custom and religious practice among the Philistines of those days. Absalom attained publicity through the beauty of his body, and not through the holiness of his soul, and the purity of his heart. That is why that publicity did not last long, and he did not benefit from people’s praise; On the contrary, that was the cause of his destruction as we shall eventually see. St. (Mar) Ephram the Syrian tells us about the importance of caring for the beauty of the soul, rather than for that of the body, saying: [The soul looks at the heavenly beauty inside it, as though in a perfect mirror; Through its absolute purity, it reflects the beauty of people’s faces. It is said: ‘Sanctity is fitting for the saints”1]. St. Clement of Alexandria wrote a complete chapter on ‘The true beauty,’ in his work ‘The Bedagog’ , saying: [A man, in whom the Word dwells, does not adorn himself (by outer jewelry); nor invents something for himself; as he already possesses the figure of the Word, and is created according to the likeness of God; He is beautiful, so he does not need to adorn himself; He has got God-the true beauty2 ...] . [There is another beauty for man: Love3]. [It is not the concern of the outer man (the flesh), to adorn himself by the jewelry of goodness; but it is the concern of the soul4]. 5- Absalom applies pressure on Joab: Absalom, though dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, did not see the king’s face; Yet, in those years, he did not learn how to acquire pardon through humility, but remained violent in his depths. It seems that Joab refrained from coming to Absalom, lest he might arouse 1 The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian, 1984, p. 395 2 Paed. 3:1. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 3:2 97 David’s anger. When Absalom sent twice to Joab to reconcile him with the king, but with no response, Absalom commanded his servants to set Joab’s field on fire. When Joab arose and came to absalom’s house to complain, the latter asked him to intercede on his behalf to the king, to look into his case; and either to pardon him, or execute him. Absalom was aware of the weakness of his father toward him: He would never execute him; and would fear, if he condemned him, that his son might defame him because of his crime against Uriah the Hittite. When Joab went to the king and told him the words of Absalom, he called his son, and proclaimed his pardon by kissing him. Absalom managed to return to the royal palace, probably to plan for taking away the throne from his father.
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