“Avshalom happened to meet some of David’s servants. Avshalom was riding his mule, and as the mule walked under the thick branches of a big terebinth tree, his head got caught in the terebinth, so that he was left hanging between earth and sky, as the mule went on from under him.”-2 Samuel 18:9
So we finally arrive at the famous story of Absalom’s death.
Or to be more accurate, the notorious story of HOW he died.
In an attempt to escape back to Jerusalem, while riding on his royal mule, Absalom’s head suddenly gets caught under the branches of a big tree.
He remains hanging there while his donkey gallops off, leaving him suspended in a helpless position.
Alrighty, now’s the time to dispel some theological misconceptions that have arisen over this tale.
I know it’s common for most pastors, preachers, and teachers to interpret this story as being all about Absalom having excessive pride in his beautiful flocks of hair, and how this was God’s way of showing him the folly of his attitude.
Numerous sermons have been preached on this very angle.
However, there’s only one teeny tiny problem with that interpretation.
The Scripture does NOT say Absalom was caught by his hair or SE’AR in Hebrew.
It said he was caught by his head or ROSH.
I get that many commentaries, including Jewish ones, say that, regardless, it was really his hair that was being spoken of.
They jump to the conclusion that because Absalom had such an unhealthy degree of pride in his hair, that’s what the moral of this story must’ve been about.
And sure, possibly a forked branch may have caught Absalom’s head or lodged under his neck, or something.
We’re not specifically told one way or the other.
My point is, when we focus too much on Absalom’s hair and how much his ego was attached to it, we miss the REAL issue at stake.
What am I talking about?
Notice that Absalom was riding a mule.
He was NOT riding a donkey as some English translations mistakenly assume.
Now, what do we know about mules in the Biblical era?
They were only reserved for royalty, correct?
Remember, a mule was a hybrid mix of a donkey and a horse.
Recall also the Torah prohibited God’s people from breeding such animals because they were an illicit mixture.
The Hebrews had no choice but to buy mules from their gentile neighbors, and these animals were horribly expensive.
So here’s the real symbolism we shouldn’t overlook.
We have Absalom, a foreshadowing of the anti-Christ, holding himself up as the King of Israel via riding a royal animal (the mule).
Then all of a sudden, he is gobbled up by a tree, one of God’s forces of creation, and left hanging while the royal mule runs off.
The instant that happened, Absalom ceased to be royalty.
In other words, this was a divine sign that Adonai had stripped Absalom of all his false claims to the throne of Israel.
The Lord had publicly exposed him for who he was.
And thus, any common citizen of Israel could now plainly see he is not, nor has ever been, a king of Israel.
That’s the real symbolism we should be looking at in this story.
And not some mumbo jumbo about Absalom’s excessive pride in his hair.
Ya feel me here?
The takeaway is also now just as clear.
In our world today, we have many false prophets claiming they are of or from God.
They ride in on their “royal mules” of titles, charisma, and worldly recognition, holding themselves up as chosen leaders.
But just like Absalom, when God’s truth collides with their false claims, these homies are gonna be left hanging, suspended, and helpless.
They will be publicly exposed for who they really are.
So let’s not get distracted by surface-level details like Absalom’s hair.
Instead, let’s stay alert to the deeper warning being communicated here.
No matter how polished or powerful someone looks…
If they set themselves up against God’s true King…
Their downfall is only a matter of time.
CONNECTING THIS TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Where is he that is born King of the Jews?
for we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him.”
– Matthew 2:2
“Tell ye the daughter of Sion,
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,
meek, and sitting upon an ass,
and a colt the foal of an ass.”
– Matthew 21:5
“Nathanael answered and saith unto him,
Rabbi, thou art the Son of God;
thou art the King of Israel.”
– John 1:49
“Pilate therefore said unto him,
Art thou a king then?
Yeshua answered,
Thou sayest that I am a king.
To this end was I born,
and for this cause came
I into the world,
that I should bear witness
unto the truth.
Everyone that is of the truth
heareth my voice.”
– John 18:37
“And set up over his head
his accusation written,
THIS IS YESHUA THE
KING OF THE JEWS.”
– Matthew 27:37
“These shall make war with the Lamb,
and the Lamb shall overcome them:
for he is Lord of lords,
and King of kings:
and they that are with him are called,
and chosen, and faithful.”
– Revelation 17:14
“And he hath on his vesture
and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS,
AND LORD OF LORDS.”
– Revelation 19:16
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