60+ Bible Verses on Absalom for Faithfulness and Loyalty

“During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.”

Absalom, during his time on earth, had erected for himself a pillar located in king’s dale because he claimed that he had no son to pass on his heritage and keep his remembrance. He named it after himself, and it is still known as Absalom’s monument.

And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

Absalom aspired that had he been made judge of the land, he would give justice to any man who came to him with a dispute or a reasonable cause.

“Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.”

To all men of Israel who wished to seek the counsel of the king for his judgment, Absalom acted in the same way. In this way, he stole their trust and confidence. 

“In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.”

In all of Israel, no other person was praised and admired more than Absalom for his beauty because they saw that he had no blemishes from the top of his head to the sole of his feet.

“No, my son,” the king replied. “All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go but gave him his blessing.”

The king said to Absalom that they should all not go along with him as it would be a burden to him. Absalom tried to convince him, but the king did not agree and instead blessed him.

Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.”

Absalom commanded his servants to mark when Amnon was drunk with wine and instructed them that they should hit Amnon and kill him when he gave the word. He encouraged them to be brave and valiant, for he had commanded them, and they should trust him.

“Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son.”

“After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years.”

But Absalom escaped and went to Talmai, who was the son of the king of Geshur, Ammihud and David lamented for his son every day. Absalom had to seek refuge in Geshur for three years.

He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. 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.”

And Absalom woke up early and stood beside the gate, and when any man with a dispute had come to the king for his judgment, Absalom asked him which city he was from, to which he humbly replied that he was from one of Israel’s tribes.

“So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.”

And the king went ahead and rested in a place that was distant, and all the people also followed him to this place.

At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.”

After four years had passed, Absalom asked the king to allow him to leave for Hebron, where he wanted to fulfill a promise he had made to the Lord.

“Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.”

The men of Israel, along with Absalom, were of the same consent that Ahithophel’s advice was not as good as the one given by Hushai the Arkite. This is because to ensure the downfall of Absalom, the Lord had decided to thwart Ahithophel’s good advice.

“Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.”

During those times, Ahithophel’s advice was considered to be one given by a person who had asked and gathered information from God. This is how both David and Absalom saw his advice.

Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”

Absalom wanted to know from Hushai if this was the love that he showed to a friend. Had he really been his friend, then Hushai would have gone along with him. 

“While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.”

Absalom had asked for Ahithophel the Gilonite, who was the advisor of David, to come to him when he was offering sacrifices from his hometown, Giloh. And so his scheme had developed further and had gained more support.

The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 

The king agreed with Joab and expressed his willingness to do the task. He then directed Joab to go and fetch the young fellow who was Absalom.

“But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.”

The king had ordered Absalom to return to his house and not come in front of him. Thus, he did what was told, and without seeing the king, he went to his house.

“So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.”

Absalom’s men carried out his orders by doing to Amnon what he had asked of them. After that, the king’s sons got up on their rides and escaped from the place.

Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”

Absalom would reply to the person by saying that the king appointed no official to hear his disputes, even if his claims were legitimate and reasonable.

Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

David had been informed about Ahithophel’s involvement and Absalom’s involvement in plotting against him. Hence, he prayed to God so that He would take away Ahithophel’s wisdom in his advice given to Absalom.

Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.”

Ahithophel informed Absalom that if he had been in the latter’s place, then he would have set out that night to capture David, along with twelve thousand selected men.

“Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.”

Absalom informed his servants that Joab’s field, where he grew barley, was located beside his own field and commanded them to set fire to it. Hearing this, the servants did as he directed and set the field on fire.

The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”

The king enquired about Absalom’s health and safety to the Cushite, who replied stating that he wished that all the enemies of the king and those who wish to harm him end up like Absalom.

He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

Amnon was asked why the king’s son appeared grim and exhausted every day is. He then replied to this question by stating that he had been in love with his brother, Absalom’s sister, who was called Tamar.

The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.”

The king wanted to know from Ittai the Gittite the reason why he would accompany them. The king directed him to return to his king, Absalom, stating that he was an outlaw, and banished from his kingdom.

“Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.”

Absalom had come across Davids’s men. As he rode his mule, his hair got stuck in the branches of an oak tree when he passed underneath it. His mule went ahead while he hung from the tree.

“Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.”

Throughout all of Israel’s tribes, Absalom had sent his envoys, who were instructed to proclaim his being King at Hebron once they heard the sound of the trumpet.

“The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.”

The king, while being heard by all people, gave orders to his commanders about Absalom and requested them in his regard to be gentle while dealing with him.

“Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigal, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.”

Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married the cousin sister of Joab, Abigal.

Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.”

Ahithophel had advised Absalom to approach his father’s mistresses who were left there to maintain the house, and subsequently, after all in Israel had heard of how he had disgraced his father, all his support would strengthen.

“In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.”

Subsequently, Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses, and fifty men who would run in front of his chariot.

While they were on their way, the report came to David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.”

It occurred when they were proceeding homewards that David heard the news that Absalom killed all the king’s sons, and no one had survived.

Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, “I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.”

But Absalom had escaped. The young watchman raised his eyes to observe that a lot of people were advancing towards him through the hillside.

“Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come.”

Absalom had requested Joab to take him in front of the king, but he refused to show up, and after he tried putting forth his request again, Joab did not turn up once again.

“So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.”

Joab went to the king and informed him, after which the king asked for Absalom’s presence, who after appearing before him, bowed down, and thereafter the king kissed Absalom.

But the man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.”

The man reasoned with Joab, saying that even if he received a vast prize such as a thousand pieces of silver, he would still not lay a hand on the king’s son, for the king had ordered his commanders that none should touch his son, Absalom.

“Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.”

Absalom went out of Jerusalem with two hundred men whom he had invited and who was unbeknownst to the cause for which they were going.

A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

And David received a messenger who gave him the news that Israel’s people’s hearts favor Absalom.

“They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.”

Absalom’s body was taken into the woods and thrown into a pit, and many stones were piled on top of him, and every Israelite fled to their homes.

And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.”

And the triumph changed into the sorrow that day because the people had heard about how the king was devastated at his son’s loss.

Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

At Jerusalem, David urged his servants to arise and take off along with him for none of them would survive in front of Absalom. He said that they should retreat hurriedly; otherwise, Absalom would catch up with them and bring destruction upon them and the city.