ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY

Passage: 2 Samuel 15:1-12

Key verse: 6

NIV

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 In the course of time,(A) Absalom provided himself with a chariot(B) and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.(C) Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”(D) 4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!(E) Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts(F) of the people of Israel.

7 At the end of four[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. 8 While your servant was living at Geshur(G) in Aram, I made this vow:(H) ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.[b]’”

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets,(I) then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel(J) the Gilonite, David’s counselor,(K) to come from Giloh,(L) his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.(M)

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Samuel 15:7 Some Septuagint manuscripts, Syriac and Josephus; Hebrew forty
  2. 2 Samuel 15:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew does not have in Hebron.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Absalom's Conspiracy

15 After this Absalom (A)got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside (B)the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4 Then Absalom would say, (C)“Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four[a] years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant (D)vowed a vow (E)while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to[b] the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, (F)“Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem (G)who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for[c] (H)Ahithophel the Gilonite, (I)David's counselor, from his city (J)Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom (K)kept increasing.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Samuel 15:7 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew forty
  2. 2 Samuel 15:8 Or will serve
  3. 2 Samuel 15:12 Or sent
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

After his reconciliation with David, Absalom prepared to rebel. But first, he needed the hearts of the people. He organized chariots, horses, and 50 bodyguards for himself as if he were king. He stood by the city gate and met those who came to the king for trial. He stirred up discontent, inducing complaints against the king. Absalom was political. He skillfully acted as if he were a fair and humble leader who could reform the current situation and replace the king. After winning people’s hearts for four years, he carried out the next step of his plan to commit treason by making himself king in Hebron. Knowing that he needed people to endorse his kingship, he took 200 men from Jerusalem and invited David’s counselor Ahithophel. In this way, the conspiracy grew strong.

Absalom succeeded in his rebellion, but he forgot what was vital. Although he could fool people, he could not fool God. Even if he could deceive and steal people’s hearts, he couldn’t deceive the heart of God. Absalom also ignored the fact that a king of Israel was not made by his own strength, nor people’s support, but by God’s anointing. Are we putting our trust in the eyes of people and their judgment or in the eyes of God? At the center of our decisions must be God who is in control.

Prayer: Lord, my life can be built on your will. Help me to walk in your way and trust your leadership.

One Word: Submit to God’s will humbly