Here's something you might be interested in.
“And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!’”
The king was David. If you know not this tale, haste thee unto First and Second Samuel and read it. First and Second Samuel are in The Bible. The Bible is free online.
The story of David technically concludes in First Kings.
“1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, ‘Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat’. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.”
In other words, David’s servants searched high and low for a beautiful woman to “warm him up”. What’s that saying again--It’s good to be the king?
Before David struggled with erectile dysfunction he had to battle his favorite son in a civil war.
Absalom was David’s third and favorite son. Absalom had arranged for David’s oldest son, Amnon, to be murdered.
After two years David seemed to be okay with the murder beings how Amnon had raped and then spurned Absalom’s sister. This is one of those same father but different mother situations.
After Absalom was reinstated, he spent 40 years dispensing justice in his own name in such a way that all the tribes of Israel loved him and flocked to his banners when he declared himself ruler. There is no mention as to what David was up to during this period.
In addition to his justice, Absalom was also famous for the beauty and sheer volume of his hair. That hair would be his downfall. Samson anyone?
David was forced to flee Jerusalem and Absalom took that opportunity to "lie with" all of David's wives and concubines. This fulfilled the prophecy that Nathan had given David after he had stolen Bathsheba.
Ultimately, David routed Absalom’s forces at the battle of Ephraim Woods. While fleeing, Absalom’s traitorous mop became entangled in the branches of an oak tree.
One of David’s captains saw Absalom hanging in the tree and decided to use him for spear practice. Three spears later, a mob of swordsmen finished Absalom off.
In spite of the war, David was broken by the death of Absalom. This was the last and bitterest of the fruits born from David's union with Bathsheba.
We might wonder if there is any music based on David’s lament for Absalom and indeed there is. I found at least six pieces based on David’s lament but I found the most recent to be the most satisfying.
The piece is by Eric Whitacre and we’ll explore it in more detail next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2ZKKXCuaYc
“And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!’”
The king was David. If you know not this tale, haste thee unto First and Second Samuel and read it. First and Second Samuel are in The Bible. The Bible is free online.
The story of David technically concludes in First Kings.
“1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, ‘Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat’. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.”
In other words, David’s servants searched high and low for a beautiful woman to “warm him up”. What’s that saying again--It’s good to be the king?
Before David struggled with erectile dysfunction he had to battle his favorite son in a civil war.
Absalom was David’s third and favorite son. Absalom had arranged for David’s oldest son, Amnon, to be murdered.
After two years David seemed to be okay with the murder beings how Amnon had raped and then spurned Absalom’s sister. This is one of those same father but different mother situations.
After Absalom was reinstated, he spent 40 years dispensing justice in his own name in such a way that all the tribes of Israel loved him and flocked to his banners when he declared himself ruler. There is no mention as to what David was up to during this period.
In addition to his justice, Absalom was also famous for the beauty and sheer volume of his hair. That hair would be his downfall. Samson anyone?
David was forced to flee Jerusalem and Absalom took that opportunity to "lie with" all of David's wives and concubines. This fulfilled the prophecy that Nathan had given David after he had stolen Bathsheba.
Ultimately, David routed Absalom’s forces at the battle of Ephraim Woods. While fleeing, Absalom’s traitorous mop became entangled in the branches of an oak tree.
One of David’s captains saw Absalom hanging in the tree and decided to use him for spear practice. Three spears later, a mob of swordsmen finished Absalom off.
In spite of the war, David was broken by the death of Absalom. This was the last and bitterest of the fruits born from David's union with Bathsheba.
We might wonder if there is any music based on David’s lament for Absalom and indeed there is. I found at least six pieces based on David’s lament but I found the most recent to be the most satisfying.
The piece is by Eric Whitacre and we’ll explore it in more detail next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2ZKKXCuaYc