O my son Absolom!

Having read up to the end of Chapter 14, I was a bit tired of Absolom so I thought I would by-pass the rest of the Absolom story of his turning against the king by stealing the hearts of the men of Israel.  Then I recalled something David said about him – “O my son Absolom, my son, my son Absolom! 
would God I had died for thee, O Absolom, my son, my son!”  (I had remembered only “O Absolom!  O Absolom!”)  It brought to mind Mrs. Eddy and her son and adopted son.  Did she say of them, “O George! O George!” and “O Bennie! O Bennie!” in despair for their spiritual welfare?  

I found the reference “O Absolom” at the end of chapter 18...so, it looks like I have to carry on from Chapter 14.

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There is a line in II Sam. 15:7, “It came to pass after forty years.”  Dummelow's One Volume Bible Commentary says this is an obvious mistake.  NRSV uses “four” years.

II Samuel’s report of the warring between David and Absolom reminds me of War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy’s famed novel, especially his recording of war.  On my first reading, I read every word.  On my second reading many years later I was amazed that I had waded through every event in every battle; I just couldn’t do it the second time around.  Just so, with Absolom; suffice it to say that he was at last killed.  Chapter 19 has David still mourning, “O my son Absolom, O Absolom, my son, my son!” (verse 4).

Joyce Voysey