2 Samuel 13:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

NIV: 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."

NASB: Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

CSB: Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.

NLT: Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, 'I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.'

KJV: But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

NKJV: Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him.

Absalom has had his half-brother Amnon killed by a servant at a feast in the hill country of Ephraim. Now, Absalom flees to avoid being captured and held accountable for the murder. Although Absalom likely believed Amnon deserved to die for raping Absalom's sister Tamar, he also knew that killing the king's firstborn son would bring terrible consequences. No one cared about justice for Tamar (2 Samuel 13:21); but this is murder, and Amnon has many other brothers (1 Chronicles 3:1–9).

Absalom isn't the only one running. Absalom's servant killed Amnon at a feast attended by many of their other brothers. When the brothers realize what's happened, they jump on their mules and flee. The men and whatever servants they took with them are riding to Jerusalem.

This is a relief to David. The first messenger told him that Absalom had killed all his sons. This isn't unusual for the time. Gideon's son managed to kill all but one of his half-brothers (Judges 9:1–6). In the future, when Athaliah realizes her son, King Ahaziah, is dead, she will kill nearly the entire royal family (2 Kings 11:1).

Meanwhile, Absalom flees in the other direction, to his maternal grandfather, the king of Geshur (2 Samuel 13:37). He'll stay there for three years before Joab convinces David to bring him back. David agrees, but refuses to see or reconcile with Absalom. Absalom waits another two years before David responds. The damage is done; Absalom decides to take the throne, instead (2 Samuel 14—15).

In 2 Samuel 13:30–36, David receives tragic news. The first report is that his third son, Absalom, has slaughtered his half-brothers: all of David's other sons. The same nephew who helped arrange the event that led Absalom to revenge (2 Samuel 13:3–5) assures him that only Amnon, who raped Absalom's sister, has died. The surviving brothers then arrive to mourn with their father.

In this chapter, God's curse that the sword will strike David's house (2 Samuel 12:10) begins to emerge. David's firstborn son Amnon lusts over half-sister Tamar. Tamar fights back, but Amnon first rapes her and then rejects her. David is angry but does nothing. Two years later, Tamar's full brother Absalom murders Amnon. Three years after that, Absalom returns and becomes the enemy in David's house who takes his wives in public (2 Samuel 12:11–12; 15:1–16; 16:21–23).

This begins fulfillment of some of God's curses against David (2 Samuel 12:10), and sets the scene for others (2 Samuel 12:11–12). David's oldest son, Amnon, rapes his own half-sister, Tamar. Her full brother Absalom murders Amnon, starting a five-year campaign of vengeance against David. By the end, two of David's sons will be dead, his daughter will be desolate, and David will be deeply humbled (2 Samuel 14—19).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.