After David’s sin with Bathsheba, his eldest son, Amnon was murdered by Absalom in revenge for Amnon’s rape of Tamar. This was the beginning of the penalty assessed by God for David’s sin. At first, a relative calm settled over the nation. Absalom was in exile and the king mourned for him, but it seemed impossible to bring him home. In this situation Joab concocted a plot to mimic Nathan’s confrontation of David. Joab intended David to pronounce a judgment that should be applied to himself.

Three years after Absalom’s flight, Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman to Jerusalem to enact a drama for David. She was to dress in mourning and beg the king for a judgment concerning a son who flew into a rage and killed his brother. David heard her out and granted clemency for her living son. When pressed, he vowed that no punishment would be meted out. At that point the woman “turned the tables” and tried to convict David by his own words. When she finished her appeal, David demanded to know whether Joab were behind the scene. She admitted her conspiracy and, in Joab’s presence, David agreed to allow Absalom to return home.

The only condition attached to David’s mercy was that Absalom should live in his own house and never see David’s face. Absalom returned to Jerusalem and won the favor of the people. He lived in this shadow-exile for two years, then tried again to enlist Joab’s help to elevate him back to David’s full acceptance. At first, Joab refused to answer Absalom’s summons until in desperation Absalom burned Joab’s grain field. When Joab arrived, Absalom demanded he speak to David and offered to die for his guilt if that were the king’s decision.

Joab took his request to David and the king summoned his son. David kissed his son in reunion and the relationship was restored-on the surface.

Over the next four years, Absalom slowly amassed a following. He hired thugs to clear the street before him as though he were somebody important. He rose early to stand by the city gate and sympathize with the complainants who came to bring a case to the king. He lamented that he were not the judge, because clearly justice demanded a finding in the complainants favor. He also flattered men of lesser social standing by treating them as equals. In this way he built his popularity until the time was right.

Absalom invoked the name of God and a lie about a vow in order to go to Hebron, where David had been crowned king. When he gained permission, he sprang the conspiracy and had himself reported to be the king. When David heard the news, he realized the depth of betrayal and his personal danger. He left 10 of his concubines in charge of the palace, then evacuated his remaining family along with his most loyal fighting men-all foreigners.

When the priest, Zadok, attempted to carry off the holy furniture, David sent him back to administer a hastily-concocted spy network to inform David of Absalom’s intent. His most trusted advisor, Ahithophel, had thrown his support to Absalom, but David sent back the next-highest advisor, Hushai, to frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel.

The former rivalries between the house of Saul and the house of David came to life in the turmoil. In a flash, Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, gambled his life to secure the favor of David. He brought provisions for the refugees and declared that Mephibosheth boasted that he would receive the kingdom with David gone. David promptly settled Saul’s estate on Ziba.

As David and his party fled northeast, a relative of Saul’s stood by the road and insulted David and his people, cursing, taunting and throwing rocks and dirt at them. He declared that such treatment from Absalom was entirely fitting for a usurper to Saul’s throne. When his soldiers offered to butcher Shimei for his shameful treatment of the king, David stopped them.

Absalom swept into Jerusalem without a battle and was met by Hushai, who pretended to be his servant. Ahithophel advised Absalom to publicly defile David’s concubines so as to make reconciliation with the king impossible. Absalom herded the women into a tent he pitched on the roof of the palace and he went in to them in full view of the populace.

Ahithophel advised Absalom to set out immediately with a small but powerful strike force, hunt down the fleeing king and kill him immediately. This would make the situation irreversible and spare many lives which might be lost in protracted fighting. Bystanders approved the plan, but Absalom asked for the advice of Hushai, who contradicted Ahithophel. He reminded Absalom that his father was a cunning warrior who would be too smart to be ambushed. He warned that morale would be crushed if any report of casualties to Absalom were reported. Instead, he advised that the entire fighting force be gathered for a single, smashing campaign. Absalom decided on Hushai’s course of action and summoned the whole Israelite army.

Meanwhile, Hushai sent a message by way of Zadok’s spy network to David. He revealed Absalom’s plans and urged David and his men to cross over the Jordan at night to complete their getaway. In spite of a narrow escape, the spies carried the message to David. For his part, Ahithophel realized that the attempted coup was doomed from Absalom’s lack of courage. He put his business in order and hanged himself.

David completed his escape to Mahanaim, east of the Jordan.

David’s forces were split into three divisions, but they refused to allow David to accompany them, knowing he was more valuable than the whole army. He sent them out and urged them to be gentle with Absalom. The battle was joined, and David’s men prevailed in a great slaughter. Absalom attempted to escape but, bizarrely, got his luxurious hair tangled in a low-hanging oak branch. When his strange restraint was reported to Joab, he vented his frustration on the messenger and then rushed to the scene where he and 10 bodyguards killed Absalom and threw his body into a pit.

Two different runners went to carry the news (hoping for reward), but the one to arrive first pretended to know only good news. The second reported the death of Absalom, which plunged the king into an anguished outpouring of grief

The threat was over, but the judgment from God was not.