avishalom · Absalom

What it means

avishalom (אֲבִישָׁלוֹם) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “Absalom”.

Third son of David, born of Maacah; he rebelled against his father (2 Samuel 13–18). The name, also written in a longer form (Abishalom), means "father of peace"; it is borne also by the father of Maacah, Rehoboam's wife.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• Absalom ×109
• Abishalom ×2

Where it appears

• 2 Samuel×102
• 1 Kings×5
• 1 Chronicles×1
• 2 Chronicles×2
• Psalms×1

• 2 Samuel 3:3

  and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

• 2 Samuel 13:1

  After this Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon son of David loved her.

• 2 Samuel 13:4

  He said to him, “Why are you so weak, son of the king, morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “Tamar, the sister of Absalom my brother, I love.”

• 2 Samuel 13:20

  Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now then, my sister, keep quiet; he is your brother. Do not set your heart on this matter.” So Tamar lived, desolate, in the house of Absalom her brother.

• 2 Samuel 13:22

  Absalom did not speak with Amnon anything, bad or good, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated Tamar his sister.

• 2 Samuel 13:23

  After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

• 2 Samuel 13:24

  Absalom came to the king and said, “Look, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

• 2 Samuel 13:25

  The king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, so that we will not be a burden to you.” He insisted with him, but he was not willing to go, and he blessed him.

• 2 Samuel 13:26

  Absalom said, “If not, please let Amnon my brother go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

• 2 Samuel 13:27

  Absalom insisted with him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the king’s sons.

• 2 Samuel 13:28

  Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “Watch, please: when the heart of Amnon is merry with wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not be afraid. Is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong and be valiant.”

• 2 Samuel 13:29

  The young men of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons got up, and they rode, each on his mule, and fled.

• 2 Samuel 13:30

  While they were on the way, the news came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.”

• 2 Samuel 13:32

  Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord say that they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead; for by the mouth of Absalom it had been settled from the day he humiliated Tamar his sister.

• 2 Samuel 13:34

  Absalom fled. The young man on watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and there many people were coming by the road behind him, from the side of the hill.

• 2 Samuel 13:37

  Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

• 2 Samuel 13:38

  So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and he was there three years.

• 2 Samuel 13:39

  King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he had been comforted about Amnon, that he was dead.

• 2 Samuel 14:1

  Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the heart of the king was on Absalom.

• 2 Samuel 14:21

  The king said to Joab, “Look, please, I have done this thing; go, bring back the young man, Absalom.”

• 2 Samuel 14:23

  Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

• 2 Samuel 14:24

  The king said, “Let him turn aside to his house, and my face he shall not see.” So Absalom turned aside to his house, and the face of the king he did not see.

• 2 Samuel 14:25

  In all Israel there was no man as handsome as Absalom, to be praised so greatly; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.

• 2 Samuel 14:27

  There were born to Absalom three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a woman beautiful in appearance.

• 2 Samuel 14:28

  Absalom lived in Jerusalem two full years and did not see the face of the king.

• 2 Samuel 14:29

  Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. He sent again, a second time, but he was not willing to come.

• 2 Samuel 14:30

  He said to his servants, “See, Joab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So the servants of Absalom set the plot on fire.

• 2 Samuel 14:31

  Joab got up and came to Absalom at the house and said to him, “Why have your servants set the plot that is mine on fire?”

• 2 Samuel 14:32

  Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Now then, let me see the face of the king; and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.”

• 2 Samuel 14:33

  Joab came to the king and told him, and he called for Absalom. He came to the king and bowed down to him on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

• 2 Samuel 15:1

  After this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men running before him.

• 2 Samuel 15:2

  Absalom would rise early and stand beside the road of the gate; and whenever any man who had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

• 2 Samuel 15:3

  Absalom would say to him, “Look, your words are good and right, but you have no one to hear you from the king.”

• 2 Samuel 15:4

  And Absalom would say, “Who would make me judge in the land! Then to me every man who had a dispute or judgment would come, and I would do him justice.”

• 2 Samuel 15:6

  Absalom did this way to all Israel who came for judgment to the king; and Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.

• 2 Samuel 15:7

  At the end of forty years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow that I vowed to YHWH, in Hebron.

• 2 Samuel 15:10

  Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the horn, then say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’”

• 2 Samuel 15:11

  With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, invited; they went in their integrity and did not know anything.

• 2 Samuel 15:12

  Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

• 2 Samuel 15:13

  The messenger came to David, saying, “The heart of the men of Israel has gone after Absalom.”

And 71 more times.