II Samuel 14:23-33
“So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.” (II Samuel 14:23-24)
While David had not seen his son for three years, and was definitely concerned about Absalom, he refused to see him. Undoubtedly he was trying to drive home the seriousness of his crime in murdering his brother.
“But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.
And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.” (II Samuel 14:25-27)
Absalom would have been listed as one of the sexiest or most handsome men alive had they had such a competition in his day. In a society where baldness was not uncommon he had a full head of hair that grew very fast, and was quite vain about it. Once a year he had it cut and weighed to see how much there was, because it grew very fast and became quite heavy. Since a shekel is about a half ounce, his hair usually weighed a little more than six pounds.
Absalom had three sons and a beautiful daughter he named after his sister.
“So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.” (II Samuel 14:28-30)
After two full years without being allowed to see his father, Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to come see him because he wanted to meet with his father, but Joab refused to meet with him. After Joab refused to meet him the second time, Absalom got angry and decided to get his attention. He had his servants burn off Joab’s barley field. It was a pretty childish action, but it did get Joab’s attention. Apparently Absalom had gotten used to having his way.
“Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.” (II Samuel 14:31-32)
Joab was quite upset about having lost and entire years crop and demanded to know why Absalom had had it burned. Absalom felt that if he wasn’t going to be completely forgiven, he might as well have stayed with his grandfather in Geshur. He demanded that if David was still mad at him he should go ahead and kill him and get it over with.
In I Corinthians 5, Paul instructed the church to implement church discipline on a man who was involved in an incestuous relationship. In II Corinthians 2:6-8, the man had corrected the sin, and Paul instructed them to stop the punishment. “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”
Punishment is solely to make people aware that their behavior is unacceptable. Carrying it beyond that point may cause them to turn away or rebel. Absalom said he would rather be dead than constantly rejected. When it is over, punishment needs to be clearly ended and the relationship fully restored. Incomplete forgivness has the same effect today. David’s failure to completely forgive will play a major part in Absalom’s rebelling against him. It does not justify his rebellion.
“So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.” (II Samuel 14:33)
Finally, after five years, David acknowledges his concern for Absalom. It would turn out to be too little, too late.
“So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.” (II Samuel 14:23-24)
While David had not seen his son for three years, and was definitely concerned about Absalom, he refused to see him. Undoubtedly he was trying to drive home the seriousness of his crime in murdering his brother.
“But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.
And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.” (II Samuel 14:25-27)
Absalom would have been listed as one of the sexiest or most handsome men alive had they had such a competition in his day. In a society where baldness was not uncommon he had a full head of hair that grew very fast, and was quite vain about it. Once a year he had it cut and weighed to see how much there was, because it grew very fast and became quite heavy. Since a shekel is about a half ounce, his hair usually weighed a little more than six pounds.
Absalom had three sons and a beautiful daughter he named after his sister.
“So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.” (II Samuel 14:28-30)
After two full years without being allowed to see his father, Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to come see him because he wanted to meet with his father, but Joab refused to meet with him. After Joab refused to meet him the second time, Absalom got angry and decided to get his attention. He had his servants burn off Joab’s barley field. It was a pretty childish action, but it did get Joab’s attention. Apparently Absalom had gotten used to having his way.
“Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.” (II Samuel 14:31-32)
Joab was quite upset about having lost and entire years crop and demanded to know why Absalom had had it burned. Absalom felt that if he wasn’t going to be completely forgiven, he might as well have stayed with his grandfather in Geshur. He demanded that if David was still mad at him he should go ahead and kill him and get it over with.
In I Corinthians 5, Paul instructed the church to implement church discipline on a man who was involved in an incestuous relationship. In II Corinthians 2:6-8, the man had corrected the sin, and Paul instructed them to stop the punishment. “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”
Punishment is solely to make people aware that their behavior is unacceptable. Carrying it beyond that point may cause them to turn away or rebel. Absalom said he would rather be dead than constantly rejected. When it is over, punishment needs to be clearly ended and the relationship fully restored. Incomplete forgivness has the same effect today. David’s failure to completely forgive will play a major part in Absalom’s rebelling against him. It does not justify his rebellion.
“So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.” (II Samuel 14:33)
Finally, after five years, David acknowledges his concern for Absalom. It would turn out to be too little, too late.
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