The United Kingdom of Israel:
Saul, David & Solomon
Foreshadow Christ the King

Lesson 17 Absalom Usurps the Throne
the Second Book of Samuel 15:1—16:14

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for The United Kingdom of Israel
cross references in The United Kingdom of Israel
next lesson: Good & Bad Counsel: Problems for Absalom

This material coordinates with Lesson 17 on pages 104–108 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
—the Second Book of Samuel 7:12–13

welcome to our in-depth study of Saul, David & Solomon
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson videos, as well as to a glossary and cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King has been granted an imprimatur and may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33
In Lesson 16 Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children, problems arise among the royal offspring. Amnon lusts after his half-sister Tamar. At the instigation of their cousin Jonadab, Amnon devises a ruse to lure Tamar to his home, where he rapes her and then casts her out. Although David is angered, he neglects to punish Amnon. Absalom patiently waits for an opportunity to avenge his sister’s honor. After two years, Absalom arranges for Amnon to be murdered. Early reports received by David indicate that all of his sons have died, but it turns out that only Amnon has been killed. Absalom flees to Geshur. Joab perceives that the situation is causing David distress, and he comes up with a plan to allow Absalom to return from exile. Joab instructs a woman from Tekoa to tell David a story designed to move the king to pardon Absalom. David sees through the ruse, but agrees to allow for Absalom’s return to Jerusalem—with one stipulation: Absalom may not enter the king’s presence. Absalom’s physical beauty and luxuriant hair are mentioned in the biblical text. After two years, Absalom decides he’d rather be killed than live outside the king’s presence. He seeks Joab’s assistance in gaining an audience with David. Joab at first refuses, but after Absalom burns some of Joab’s crops, Joab agrees to set up the meeting, during which father and son appear to be on a path to resolving their differences. 

map notes—Hebron
When Absalom chooses Hebron as a base for his rebel operations, he’s following a tradition that was established by his father David, who operated out of Hebron before making Jerusalem his seat of government. Hebron is located in territory allotted to the tribe of Judah, and it was there that all of the descendants of Jacob acclaimed David as their king. Hebron also is a Levitical city, a designated dwelling place for priests, so Absalom’s choice also is a subtle suggestion that he might have support from the religious establishment. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 107 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

Jerusalem is a city of peace (23:58)
It would be a mistake to assume that David is leaving Jerusalem because he’s afraid to fight. David always has shown himself to be brave when it comes to battle, and a decent number of seasoned troops continue to support him. On the video overview for Lesson 17, “Absalom Usurps the Throne,” Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps explains that the reason David is leaving Jerusalem appears to be that he’s uncertain where God stands. David is unwilling to risk a battle without knowing that the LORD is on his side. Surprisingly for a king accustomed to wielding political weight, all of David’s actions point toward regaining favor with God, not toward regaining or holding onto royal power.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. You can follow along as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 17, “Absalom Usurps the Throne,” on pages 104–108 in the study book.

Absalom is playing a long game
We’ve previously seen that Absalom is a man capable of exercising great restraint and patience. The fifteenth chapter in the Second Book of Samuel describes how Absalom planned for four years before challenging his father for the throne. Absalom’s public relations campaign was carefully mapped out to ensure that he’d have maximum support from descendants of Jacob living outside of Jerusalem. Absalom’s assertion that it was difficult for subjects of the king to receive justice under David’s rule was a false claim, but Absalom nevertheless managed to sway a large number of Israelites to support him. The Second Book of Samuel 15:6 records that he “stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” This strongly suggests that the majority of the Israelites didn’t possess hearts that were in accord with the desires of David, who had been anointed king on the basis of having desires in line with the desires of God.

servant—you could look it up in our archives
In the Second Book of Samuel 15:7–8, Absalom gets permission to go to Hebron by saying that he made a religious vow that must be fulfilled there. Learn the meaning of the word “servant,” and consider whether Absalom is sincere when he says he’s David’s servant. Lost in Translation is an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Absalom’s vow to the LORD?  
In the Second Book of Samuel 15:7–8, Absalom claims that while in exile he made a religious vow to the LORD. This raises several questions.

?  Consider whether it’s likely that Absalom is telling his father the truth about making a religious vow.
?  Assuming that Absalom is sincere, what might have led to him waiting four years after returning to Jerusalem before undertaking to fulfill this vow?
?  What might explain why Absalom would have stipulated that he’d fulfill his vow in Hebron rather than in Jerusalem, established by David as the religious center for all of the descendants of Jacob, or in Shiloh, the former major religious center for the descendants of Jacob?
?  Why do you think that David appears to have no idea of the threat posed by Absalom?

the popes inspire us—God always has the last word
Throughout the difficulties of his life—and there are many—David continues to exhibit a firm faith that God never will abandon him. In an audience in February 2003, Pope St. John Paul II taught that for those who love God, there’s a consciousness that we never are alone and never left to the mercy of the storm unleashed by the wicked: “In truth, the last word always is God’s, who, even if he permits the trial of his faithful, never hands him over to death.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the ark staying in Jerusalem?
The Second Book of Samuel 15:24 describes the priests Abiathar and Zadok, with the other Levitical priests in Jerusalem, carrying the ark of the covenant to where everyone fleeing the city could pass by it.

?  What purpose do you think the priests have in mind when they bring the ark outside the city as David and his followers are leaving Jerusalem?
?  Since the ark originally was designed as a movable dwelling for God, why do you think that David chose not to take the ark with him as a sign of God’s protection when he left Jerusalem?
?  What important religious development is foreshadowed by the ark remaining behind in Jerusalem?
?  Consider whether you think that David expects to return to Jerusalem where he will be able to dwell again in the same city as the ark.

pray with the Psalms—how many are David’s foes  
The opening verse of Psalm 3 identifies it as a prayer of David when he was fleeing from Absalom. It must have been an extremely difficult situation for David after his own son turned against him, and David’s steadfast faith and confidence in the LORD is admirable. Psalm 3:8 especially reflects the nature of David’s heart when he prays: “Deliverance belongs to the LORD; thy blessing be upon thy people!” Even in his own dark moments, David expresses concern for God’s people whom he’s been anointed to protect. Prayed as part of Monday Vigils (Week I), Psalm 3 will be included as part of Lesson 3 You, LORD, Are a Shield About Me in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, which is scheduled for publication in late summer of 2025.

biblical characters to watch
A variety of people show up as David’s leaving the city. It’s important to note that David isn’t without strong supporters. All of the following figures from this lesson are listed in our online glossary.

  • Included in David’s retinue are the Cherethites and Pelethites (David’s elite private guards) along with 600 Gittites who’ve been following him since Gath.
  • In addition, Ittai the Gittite, who only recently arrived in Jerusalem, chooses to remain with David rather than staying in Jerusalem or returning to his home.
  • Ahima-az and Jonathan, the sons of Abiathar and Zadok respectively, agree to serve as messengers to carry word of developments in Jerusalem when David no longer is in the city.
  • David‘s trusted counselor Ahithophel has defected to Absalom‘s camp, but David‘s friend Hushai the Archite agrees to infiltrate Absalom‘s inner circle and attempt to influence events in Jerusalem. 
  • Mephibosheth‘s servant Ziba shows up without his master, telling David that Mephibosheth sees Absalom‘s actions as an opportunity to regain political power for the house of Saul.
  • Shime-i, a Benjaminite and relative of Saul, curses David and throws stones at him as David leaves the city.
  • Abishai, one of the sons of Zeruiah, argues in favor of killing Shime-i as punishment for Shime-i‘s disrespectful behavior.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the Second Book of Samuel 15:1—16:14.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of Samuel 15:1—16:14 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on the biblical text in this lesson in the study book The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

O God, you created your people to live in harmony.
Grant that we may demonstrate our desire for peace in our world
by our efforts to promote harmony among those closest to us,
especially those in our own families.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who taught us that peace grows out of a commitment to love. Amen.

Lesson 18 Good & Bad Counsel: Problems for Absalom—the Second Book of Samuel 16:15—18:18
Lesson 16 Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children—the Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33

you also may like our study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Free digital lessons rotate throughout the year on our website.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.