”Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!” So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.” But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.” Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.“
II Samuel 18:9-17 NKJV
a. Absalom rode on a mule: Absalom’s vanity put him in this battle, against the wise counsel of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:1-14). Absalom didn’t seem like a great general, riding a mule into battle.
b. His head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth: Absalom was noted for his good looks and his luxurious hair (2 Samuel 14:25-26). What was his glory was now his curse – Absalom was literally caught by his own hair in the thick trees of the forest.
i. Adam Clarke is careful to point out that the text does not say that Absalom was caught by his hair – we assume that. It may be that he was caught by his neck. Nevertheless, the image remains of Absalom hanging in the tree: “So he hung between heaven and earth, as rejected of both.” (Trapp)
ii. “Absalom’s end was beset with terrors. When he was caught in the branches of the oak-tree, he was about to sever his hair with a sword stroke, but suddenly he saw hell yawning beneath him, and he preferred to hang in the tree to throwing himself into the abyss alive. Absalom’s crime was, indeed, of a nature to deserve the supreme torture, for which reason he is one of the few Jews who have no portion in the world to come.” (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews)
c. I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree: When this was reported to Joab, the general wondered why the man did not immediately kill Absalom. The man replied that it was in obedience and faithfulness to David that he did not do it.
i. Joab insisted he would give both money and a promotion to the one who killed Absalom (I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt). Yet the man would not do it because he was loyal to David.
ii. “The military belt was the chief ornament of a soldier, and was highly prized in all ancient nations; it was also a rich present from one chieftain to another.” (Clarke)
d. He took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart: Joab didn’t hesitate to strike Absalom, though he knew David commanded him not to. Joab was convinced that it was in David’s best interests and in Israel’s best interests to show Absalom justice, not mercy.
i. Absalom only received what he deserved. He was a murderer, a traitor, and a rapist. Joab knew that David was generally indulgent towards his children and would never punish Absalom. “He had seen David’s action toward his sons characterized by lack of discipline. In the highest interests of the kingdom his hand was raised to slay Absalom.” (Morgan)
ii. We might say that Joab was correct but not right. He was correct in understanding that it was better for David and for Israel that Absalom was dead. He was not right in disobeying King David, the God-appointed authority over him. By David’s dealings with King Saul, we see that God can deal with those in authority, and we don’t need to disobey them unless commanded to by Scripture or a clear conscience.
iii. “Long ago he should have died by the hand of justice; and now all his crimes are visited on him in his last act of rebellion. Yet, in the present circumstances, Joab’s act was base and disloyal, and a cowardly murder.” (Clarke)
iv. At the same time, there is an ironic twist in that the rebel Absalom had his life taken in a rebellious act by Joab. Absalom got what he deserved and Joab would be held accountable for what he did to Absalom, both by God and eventually by David (1 Kings 2:5-6).
e. Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him: Absalom was still not dead after three spears because heart is a general reference to the middle of the body instead of the specific internal organ.
i. “As he had defiled his father’s ten concubines, so by these ten youngsters he hath that little breath that was left in him beaten out of his body.” (Trapp)
f. They took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him: Joab wanted to make sure that Absalom’s body was not memorialized as an inspiration to other followers or future rebels.
g. All Israel fled, everyone to his tent: This means Absalom’s army was in full retreat. David’s forces completely carried the day. (Guzik)
Correct But Not Right!
“He was correct in understanding that it was better for David and for Israel that Absalom was dead. He was not right in disobeying King David, the God-appointed authority over him.”
We can get caught up in the same way of thinking and acting as Joab did, but as Christian’s we need to remind ourselves of WWJD? (What would Jesus do?)
When the world demands we act correct but not right, we should ask ourselves WWJD? If we respond like Jesus, we become His hands, feet and light!
And that sets us apart from the Joab’s of the world!
Blessings
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