Editing Absalom (section)

{{Short description|Third son of the Israelite king David}}
{{About|the biblical figure|the name|Absalom (name)}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Absalom
| title        = [[Kings of Israel and Judah|Prince of Israel]]
| image        = Muerte de absalon en el CESEDEN (cropped).jpg
| caption      = ''Death of Absalom'' (1762) by [[Corrado Giaquinto]]
| reign        = 
| birth_date   = Unknown
| birth_place  = [[Hebron]], [[Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)|Kingdom of Israel]]
| death_date   = {{circa|1000 BCE}}
| death_place  = [[Battle of the Wood of Ephraim|Ephraim]], Kingdom of Israel
| burial_date  = 
| predecessor  = 
| successor    = 
| wife         = 
| consort      = 
| issue        = {{Collapsible list
| title = ''{{nobold|4 avouched children:}}''<ref name="auto">{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|14:27|KJV}}</ref>
| 3 unnamed sons<ref name="auto"/>
| 1 daughter named [[Tamar (name)|Tamar]]<ref name="auto"/>
}}
| dynasty      = [[Davidic line|House of David]]
| royal anthem = 
| royal motto  = 
| father       = [[David|David ben Yishai]]
| mother       = [[Maacah|Maacah bat Talmai]]
| religion     = [[Yahwism]]
}}

'''Absalom''' ({{langx|he|אַבְשָׁלוֹם}} {{Transliteration|he|ʾAḇšālōm}}, {{Literal translation|[[Ab (Semitic)|Father]] of [[Shalom|Peace]]}}), according to the [[Hebrew Bible]], was an [[Kings of Israel and Judah|Israelite prince]]. Born to [[David]] and [[Maacah]], who was from [[Geshur]], he was the only full sibling of [[Tamar (daughter of David)|Tamar]]. He is described in the [[Hebrew Bible]] as being exceptionally beautiful, as is his sister.<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|14:25|NIV}}</ref> In the narrative of [[2 Samuel 13]], his sister Tamar takes refuge at his house after she is raped by their paternal half-brother [[Amnon]] (born to David and [[Ahinoam]], who was from [[Tel Jezreel|Jezreel]]); David is angered by the incident, but does nothing, as Amnon is his [[heir apparent]]. Infuriated by the rape and David's inaction, Absalom assassinates Amnon and subsequently flees to Geshur, which is ruled by his and Tamar's maternal grandfather [[Talmai]].

Following three years in exile, he returns to [[Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)|Israel]] and rallies popular support against the [[Davidic line|House of David]]. A war ensues when Absalom's rebels mobilize at [[Hebron]] and begin fighting David's army in an attempt to overthrow him, but their revolt ends in failure when Absalom is killed by David's nephew and army commander [[Joab]] during the [[Battle of the Wood of Ephraim]].<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|18:1–17|NIV}}</ref> In the aftermath of his death, Absalom's sister is described as being left "a desolate woman in her brother's house" and the sole guardian of his orphaned daughter, who is also [[Tamar (name)|named Tamar]].