Family Feud: Ancient Edition

Today’s reading feels like watching a family drama unfold under the weight of political pressure. Absalom's rebellion isn't just about grabbing power. There's a tangled history here, full of pain, betrayal, and unresolved tension.

A Brother’s Revenge, A Son’s Rebellion

Absalom’s story is complicated. Earlier, he avenged the rape of his sister Tamar by killing his brother Amnon. That act of violence was also an act of justice, at least in his eyes, because David, their father, had failed to act. But now, a few chapters later, Absalom is raising an army against David himself. What began as a reaction to injustice has turned into an all-out revolt.

Daddy Issues and Royal Silence

I find myself wondering: what was driving Absalom at this point? Was it ambition? A sense of righteousness? Or maybe something more emotional—like a lifetime of feeling ignored, undervalued, or betrayed by the people closest to him? He doesn’t seem like a one-dimensional villain. If anything, his choices seem fueled by the same kind of unresolved anger that can live quietly in families for years until it explodes.

And David’s role is just as complex. As a king, he’s been powerful and strategic, but as a father, his record is messy. He doesn’t confront Amnon. He banishes Absalom, then brings him back without really reconciling. That silence—those half-measures—seem to fester.

Tree Trouble and the Cost of Pride

By the time Absalom declares himself king, it doesn’t feel like a sudden betrayal. It feels like something that’s been building for a long time. There’s even a tragic sense of inevitability about it. But then the story turns again. Absalom dies caught in a tree, literally stuck, vulnerable, and finished off by Joab against David’s explicit instructions. His end is not glorious. It’s messy and painful. And David mourns him deeply, crying out with a rawness that makes the whole political backdrop fall away: "O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Vengeance, Power, and Unfinished Business

What are we supposed to make of all this? Maybe nothing simple. Maybe it’s not a lesson so much as a look at how vengeance and hurt ripple outward. Absalom starts by avenging his sister and ends up dead in a tree. David fails to act, then tries to hold everything together too late. And Joab steps in with brutal efficiency that ignores emotional cost.

The story doesn't wrap up neatly. But maybe that’s the point. Real families, real power struggles, and real emotions rarely do.