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134 Absalom

THE

Abstinence

ENCYCLOPEDIA

.IKWISII

who

thrust thri-c darts through the lieart rcliclliDUS iirinrc. The death (if Alisaloni put an end to thf rolKllinn. Arciuilinir to II Sam. xviii.
 * W. xi.v. 1-5. Diivids mourning WHS groaliT for Al)sjiloin than for Ainnou.

Sue Ahs.m.om's 'I'omh. to Joab. <.f tile

II.

In Rabbinical Literature



The

life

II.

and death

led lo llie i'alil)is a welcome tlieme warn the |>eople against false ambition, The vanity with vuinglorv, and unlilial eonduet. which lie displayed his beautiful hair, the rabbis

of Al)salcini

wherewith

olli

to

ruADITIONAL TOMB OF

.HS.I.OM,

SHOWINti (I-"r'iiii

r

became his snare and his stumbling-block. his long hair the Xazarite entangled the people to rebel against his father, and by it lie liiiiiself liecame entangled, to fall a victim to his pursuers" (Misliiiah Sdtali. i. S). And again, elsewhere: " By his vileslralagem he deceived and stole three hearts, that of his father, of the elders, and finally of the whole nation of Israel, and for this reason three darts were thrust into his lieart to end his treacherous life" (Tosef., Sotah, iii. 17). More striking is the following: "Did one ever liear of an oak-tree having a heart? .Vnd yet in the oak-tree in whose branches Alisijlom was caught, we read that ujioii its heart he was held iiji still alive while the darts were thrust through him [Mek., Shirah. t;6]. This is to show that when a man becomes so heartless as to make war against his own father, nature itself takes on a heart to avenge the deed." Popular legend states that the eye of Absalom was of immense size, signifying his insatiable greed

say,

"By

134

(Niddah, 34A). Indeed, "hell itself opened beneath him, and David, his father. ven limes: 'My while bewailing Ins death, praying at s<m! my son the sjime time for his redemption from the seventh section of Gehenna, to whiili he was consigned" (Sotah. 1(1/0. .eeording to U. .Mc-ir (Saidi. Ur.Vi). "he has no share in the life to come." .Vnd according to till- description of (Jchcnna by .loshua bcii I.evi, '

I

who, like Dant<', wandered through hell under the guidance of the angel Duma, Absalom still dwells there, having the rebellious heathen in charge; and

ITS

POSITION NKAB TIIK WaI.I.

I)K

JKRCSAI-SM.

[ihiitovTrii.h.)

when the angels with their liery rods run also against Absalom to smite him like the rest, a heavenly voice savs: "Spare Absalom, the son of David, .My servant." HIBI.IOOHAPIIV: Ma'iisHli de-Ralilil Jnsliua nek's lilt lin-Miilmsh. II. M. r,.

In •n

I,i'vi.

in .lolll-

K.

ABSALOM'S TOMB A tomb twenty feet

and

high

wiiily four feel siniare. which late tradition points out as the resting-place of Absalom. It is situated in the eastern part of the valley of Kidron, to the east of Jerusalem. In all probability it is the tomb of Alexander .lann.Tus (Conder. in Hastings' "Diet. Bible, "article ".Jerusalem." p. .597). It existed in the days of .Joseidius ("Ant." vii. 10, § 3). See 1

illustrations

on pp.

HiBLlOGRAPiiv



Sepp,

133, 134.

JcnimUm.

i,

376-278.

G. B. L.

ABSALOM

John Ilyrcanus. who was

One

of the five sons of thrown into prison with

('AV'<)?.w/iof):