Absalom’s Place

‭2 Samuel 18:18 KJV‬ [18] Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.

You don’t rebel against your King and end up in your burying place. God doesn’t like rebels. Absalom had planned for his death. He made a choice because he knew he may not live long. He had no child despite all his handsomeness. The sister never married. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmi of Geshur. We find from Midrashic records that she was a war captive. Her son Absalom lived wild. Today we do not encourage a Christian to marry a non Christian. Part of the reason is that the offspring may be wild as Absalom was. Here’s a quote from The Jewish Women Encyclopedia: ” halakhic) definitions of the transgressions ascribed to such a son (M Sanhedrin 8; BT Sanhedrin 71a), and they portray Absalom as acting like such a son, as is attested by his extreme actions: he sought to kill his father David; he slept with his father’s wives, “in the sight of all Israel and in broad daylight” (II Sam. 12:12); because of him, several myriads of Israelites fell in his war against David; he also caused dissension in Israel, between his followers and David’s loyalists. Absalom was responsible for the deaths of Shimei son of Gera, Sheba son of Bichri, Ahitophel, Mephibosheth and Ish-boseth. According to the Rabbis, Absalom’s shameful behavior was a consequence of David’s marriage to Maacah and punishment for David’s lusting after an eshet yefat to’ar (Tanhuma, Ki Teze 1). We may not agree with all they say, but we are taught not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers ( 2 Core.6:14 ). The result of all this was the birth of Absalom’s place. How’s the birth of your place?