Meaning of ABSALOM

"father of peace."
Third son of David. He was notable for his beauty and for the abundance of his hair (2 Sam. 1:25, 26).

Amnon, another son of David, fell in love with his half-sister Tamar, Absalom's sister on his father's side, and his mother Maacah, daughter of Talmai (2 Sam. 3:3), and Talmai, in revenge, killed him (2 James 13:1-29). He then fled to Geshur, where his grandfather on his mother's side was king (2 Sam. 13:37-39).

After three years of exile Absalom returned to Jerusalem through the intercession of Joab, but was not received by his father David until two years later (2 Sam. 14:28), when he was reconciled to him.

Since there were no fixed laws on succession in Israel at that time, Absalom wanted to be the heir to the throne at all costs. Absalom did everything he could to make the people aware of his rights as a firstborn after Amnon's death.

He won favor not only among the powerful and rich, but especially among the poor, due to his simple character and his reputation as a man who was a friend of justice.

Absalom knew, as everyone in Israel knew, that Solomon would be David's successor on the throne and he plotted several times against David's life, had himself proclaimed king in Jerusalem in David's absence, and finally, having wanted to give him battle in one treacherously across the Jordan, as he fled, his hair became tangled in a tree and he was killed by Joab, one of David's men (2 Sam. 18:17, 18; Josh. 7:26), and buried with dishonor.

His father felt his death so much that he silently entered Jerusalem as if he had lost the battle. In Jerusalem there is a "Tomb of Absalom" built in the time of Herod.