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2 Samuel 14 · a question people ask

Absalom had three sons here. Why does chapter 18 say he had no son?

In the text

Both verses stand in 2 Samuel. Here: "Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar" (14:27). Later: "Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, ‘I have no son to keep my name in memory.’" (18:18). The sons in 14:27 are not named, and no verse says what became of them. The book doesn't explain how the two verses fit together, and this chapter doesn't guess.

The verses

“Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.”
2 Samuel 14:27 · World English Bible
“Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.”
2 Samuel 18:18 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 14: Water spilled on the ground

"Neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him" (14:14) is a line in a story: "Joab put the words in her mouth" (14:3). It brought Absalom home, but he "didn’t see the king’s face" for two full years (14:28), until "the king kissed Absalom" (14:33).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions