Absalom אבשלום

His looks are described separately: in all Israel there was no man so handsome, and there was no blemish in him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head; he cut his hair once a year, because it weighed on him, and it weighed two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

His road began with revenge for his sister. Amnon violated Tamar, their father did nothing, and two years later Absalom killed Amnon at a feast. Three years of exile, two years without access to his father — and four years of work at the city gate, where he intercepted those coming to law and told each of them that he was in the right and that there was no justice in the land.

He declared the revolt at Hebron, the very city where his father had once been made king. David's best counsellor, Ahithophel, came over to him. Everything was decided in one night, when Absalom chose Hushai's counsel over Ahithophel's and gave his father time to cross the Jordan and gather an army.

The battle was in the forest of Ephraim, "and the forest devoured more people than the sword." Absalom rode his mule under a great tree, his head caught in the branches, the mule went on from under him — and he hung between heaven and earth. Joab, learning that the man who saw it had not touched him because of the king's order, went himself and drove in three darts.

David's lament is given without comment: "my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!"