2 Samuel Chapter 15- Chapter 18
Absalom was incredibly handsome, all who saw him always agreed. Asides his good looks, he took particular pride in his long, thick and beautiful hair.
We are told that he had to cut his hair at least once a year else it would get too long and heavy for comfort. He was vain enough to have fifty men run ahead of his chariot, whenever he needed to move around town. Now, that’s some convoy!
The verses listed above tell his story in detail. He used his beauty and charm to steal the people’s affection, and usurped the throne of his father, King David. In his attempt to overthrow the King, he got the people to declare him as king, slept with his father’s concubines in public view to signify that he was now in full control of the throne. King David scampered away with some close advisers for safety. A battle did ensue between men loyal to David and the army led by Jonathan. Jonathan’s men were defeated and they fled.
Now here’s the interesting part. Handsome Ab was found caught in a tree!! Hilarious image this conjures in my head! While he tried to flee on his horse, his wonderful, long, thick, heavy, 2 kilograms hair caught in the branches of a tree, and there Absalom hung till David’s men found and killed him.
Isn’t it ironic that it was his precious hair that set the trap for his death? His particular pride? What he thought made him so special? What he was so vain about? Recounting the story of Absalom would be an exercise in futility if it didn’t make us look again at our lives.
What is your own version of ‘Ab’s Hair’? Your career? Your children/family? Your bank account? Your brains? We have to be careful here lest ‘Ab’s Hair’ set a trap for our demise. God forbid!
Proverbs 16:18 Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall (Good News Bible)