2 Samuel 15:1-18 depicts one of the most painful experiences in the life of David, and one of the critical times in the life of Isreal: the conflict between David and his son Absalom for the throne. After Absalom returned to the court and his father’s favour, Absalom seemed to be in line to eventually inherit the throne. We are not told why he decided not to wait. The decisions people make are usually the result of many influences. We are told, however, exactly how he went about stealing the hearts of the people.

Sometime after his father returned him to favour, Absalom created for himself the air of a ruler with chariots, horses, and a group of men who made up the equivalent of a private army. While this princely show of status was not normal, it could have been excused as the way in which Absalom was compensating for having to wait for two years before his father would even see him. This was Absalom’s way of indicating how he saw himself—as the heir apparent of the throne.

Absalom comes across as cunning, cold, and ruthless. In the vacuum created by David’s family problems, David’s declining health, and the fractures within the kingdom, a prideful Absalom exalted himself, unlike David, who waited to be exalted by God. Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel by ingratiating himself to the people.

The most damaging thing Absalom did with great success, and the thing that explains his popularity, was his politicking with the ordinary people. His was a familiar pattern. He sought first to undermine the people’s confidence in his father. Then he put himself forward as the solution to their situation. Each day he would rise early and stand where the people were waiting to get a judgment on some grievance or another. He showed an interest in people, who they were, what city they came from, and the nature of their complaint. Then he would suggest that were he to be given authority to judge their case, they would have an advocate at the king’s court. By using this approach over a period of four years, Absalom was able to create allies to his cause in every village in the land, and he was able to do it, not by actually helping them, but by leaving the impression that he would help them if he could.

If this pattern is familiar, it is because it is used constantly by politicians who are running for offices that other people hold. They create a base of support for themselves by making their opponents responsible for all the flaws in society and presenting themselves as the hope for change. A person can accumulate a following in any organization, whether a club, a business, or a church, by whispering in the ear of the unhappy what he or she would do if he or she was in charge.

Absalom’s success might also indicate that there was sufficient neglect of the people and delay in justice that his words touched a sore spot with the people. Although David still saw people, these delays became longer as the kingdom grew and became more complex. If there was no real problem, Absalom created one; if the problem was real, he magnified it.

The saddest part of his routine is that there is no indication that he was really interested in justice or that he cared for the people. He was a murderer of his own brother who had not been punished and nothing in his life, except for his relationship to his sister Tamar, indicated that he cared for anyone but himself. He is a classic example of a person without ideals who uses the talking of lofty ideals as a means of manipulating people and getting power for himself. It has always been possible to steal the hearts of the people through empty promises and a fake concern for justice.

Throughout history many terrible things have been done by individuals who were motivated by a lust for power. Especially despicable are those who dressed their ambitions in the clothing of religion.

Rather than falling into the hands of his son who was rebelling and willing to kill to have the kingdom, David knew it would be better to let God do what seemed best, for David knew that God has mercy and compassion, but man tends not to show those things. David learned many lessons from the sins he had committed. The consequences of wrongdoing can be very painful on all sides. Instead of making things worse, we can turn to God and ask for forgiveness, and we can work to forgive as the Lord forgives us.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 425-426)
2. Chafin, K.L., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 8: 1,2 Samuel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.: 1989; pp. 301-304)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)