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2 Samuel 15 · a question people ask

Did Absalom really make a vow, or was it an excuse?

In the text

The chapter gives his words and then his actions, and says no more. His words: "For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD’" (15:8) (tap vow). The king said, "Go in peace" (15:9). His actions: "Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel" with word to say at the trumpet, "Absalom is king in Hebron!" (15:10); two hundred men went with him who "went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything" (15:11); and he sent for Ahithophel "while he was offering the sacrifices" (15:12). The text doesn't say whether a vow was ever made in Geshur. Hebron was where "Sons were born to David", Absalom among them (3:2-3), and where David was anointed king over Judah (2:4) and over Israel (5:3); the chapter doesn't give Absalom's reason for choosing it.

The verses

“Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;”
2 Samuel 3:2-3 · World English Bible
“The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.””
2 Samuel 2:4 · World English Bible
“So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.”
2 Samuel 5:3 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Samuel 15

2 Samuel 15: The king goes up weeping

"Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (15:6) uses the Hebrew words Genesis uses when Jacob deceived Laban (Genesis 31:20), and when David prays against Ahithophel's counsel (15:31), the very next verse has Hushai walking up to meet him (15:32).

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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