Absalom was the son of David who rebelled against him and was killed by Joab.
Absalom was one of David’s sons and the child of Maacah, daughter of the king of Geshur. His revolt grew from a troubled family history: after his sister Tamar was assaulted by their half-brother Amnon, Absalom arranged Amnon’s killing and later spent years away from Jerusalem. Once restored, he cultivated public support by presenting himself as a better judge and leader than his father.
Absalom eventually declared himself king at Hebron, forcing David to flee Jerusalem. David’s forces defeated the rebels in the forest of Ephraim. During the retreat, Absalom’s hair caught in the branches of an oak while he rode beneath it. Joab, David’s commander, found him and struck him with three javelins, despite David’s order that Absalom be spared. Joab’s armor-bearers then finished the killing.
The episode is remembered for David’s intense grief. The king’s repeated lament, “O my son Absalom,” captures the tragedy of a political rebellion that was also a family catastrophe.