smith's bible dictionary 1884 - Salt Lake Bible College

years in his original residence at Hebron, for there Sarah died, (Genesis 23:2) and was
buried in the cave of Machpelah. The remaining years of Abraham’s life are marked
by but few incidents. After Isaac’s marriage with Rebekah and his removal to Lahairoi,
Abraham took to wife Keturah, by whom he had six children, Zimran, Jokshan,
Medan, Midian, Ishbok and Shuah, who became the ancestors of nomadic tribes inhabiting
the countries south and southeast of Palestine. Abraham lived to see the
gradual accomplishment of the promise in the birth of his grandchildren Jacob and
Esau, and witnessed their growth to manhood. (Genesis 25:26) At the goodly age of
175 he was “gathered to his people,” and laid beside Sarah in the tomb of Machpelah
by his sons Isaac and Ishmael. (Genesis 25:7-10)
Abram
(a high father), the earlier name of Abraham.
Absalom
(father of peace),third son of David by Maachah, daughter of Tamai king of Geshur,
a Syrian district adjoining the northeast frontier of the Holy Land. (Born B.C. 1050.)
Absalom had a sister, Tamar, who was violated by her half-brother Amnon. The natural
avenger of such an outrage would be Tamar’s full brother Absalom. He brooded
over the wrong for two years, and then invited all the princes to a sheep-shearing feast
at his estate in Baalhazor, on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin. Here he ordered
his servants to murder Amnon, and then fled for safety to his grandfather’s court at
Geshur, where he remained for three years. At the end of that time he was brought
back by an artifice of Joab. David, however, would not see Absalom for two more years;
but at length Joab brought about a reconciliation. Absalom now began at once to
prepare for rebellion. He tried to supplant his father by courting popularity, standing
in the gate, conversing with every suitor, and lamenting the difficulty which he would
find in getting a hearing. He also maintained a splendid retinue, (2 Samuel 15:1) and
was admired for his personal beauty. It is probable too that the great tribe of Judah
had taken some offence at David’s government. Absalom raised the standard of revolt
at Hebron, the old capital of Judah, now supplanted by Jerusalem. The revolt was at
first completely successful; David fled from his capital over the Jordan to Mahanaim
in Gilead, and Absalom occupied Jerusalem. At last, after being solemnly anointed
king at Jerusalem, (2 Samuel 19:10) Absalom crossed the Jordan to attack his father,
who by this time had rallied round him a considerable force. A decisive battle was
fought in Gilead, in the wood of Ephraim. Here Absalom’s forces were totally defeated,
and as he himself was escaping his long hair was entangled in the branches of a terebinth,
where he was left hanging while the mule on which he was riding ran away
from under him. He was dispatched by Joab in spite of the prohibition of David, who,
loving him to the last, had desired that his life might be spared. He was buried in a
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