2 Samuel 13 34

2 Samuel 13:34 kjv

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

2 Samuel 13:34 nkjv

Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him.

2 Samuel 13:34 niv

Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, "I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill."

2 Samuel 13:34 esv

But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

2 Samuel 13:34 nlt

Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, "I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill."

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 34 Meaning

The terse declaration "But Absalom fled" immediately follows the murder of Amnon by Absalom's command. This statement signifies Absalom's swift departure from Jerusalem, seeking refuge after his vengeful act. It marks a critical turning point, initiating a period of estranged exile for Absalom from the royal court and his father, King David. This flight represents the immediate consequence of his sin, severing familial bonds and setting the stage for future unrest within David's household and kingdom, directly fulfilling aspects of the prophetic judgment pronounced upon David.

2 Samuel 13 34 Context

The chapter leading up to 2 Samuel 13:34 details the horrific rape of Tamar, Absalom's full sister, by their half-brother Amnon. Absalom, deeply enraged and disgraced by this act, nursed his vengeance for two full years, maintaining a chilling silence towards Amnon. He then orchestrates a sheep-shearing feast, an event usually associated with joy and abundance, to entrap Amnon. Despite David's initial reluctance to allow Amnon to attend, Amnon goes. At the height of the feast, Absalom gives a direct command to his servants to kill Amnon when he is "merry with wine," fulfilling his long-held murderous intent. Immediately following Amnon's death and the general panic, rumors spread rapidly that all the king's sons have been killed, causing David profound distress. This verse, therefore, captures Absalom's immediate, calculated response to the act he committed: flight to avoid the inevitable consequences, setting in motion a major conflict that will further tear David's family and kingdom apart. Historically, fleeing to a place of refuge after a capital crime, particularly a blood crime, was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern societies, though specific legal provisions like cities of refuge in Israel were for unintentional killings. Absalom's flight here is as a premeditated murderer.

2 Samuel 13 34 Word analysis

• But (וְ - və): This conjunctive particle serves as an adversative, signaling a shift or contrast. It stands in contrast to the earlier rumor that "all the king's sons" were killed (2 Sam 13:30) and instead reveals that only Absalom committed the act and now he is fleeing. It emphasizes a break in the narrative, moving from the shock of the murder to the perpetrator's immediate action.
• Absalom (אַבְשָׁל֥וֹם - Avshalom): "My father is peace" or "father of peace." This name carries immense irony here. The one named for peace initiates extreme violence, not only committing murder but setting off a chain of events that will bring years of strife and eventually open rebellion against his own father, culminating in a period of intense warfare and tragedy for David and Israel. He is a central figure in the coming domestic and national turmoil.
• fled (בָּרַ֖ח - barakh): This Hebrew verb implies a swift, hurried departure, often motivated by fear, guilt, or the pursuit of safety from reprisal. It's not a mere "departure" but an "escape." It conveys the urgency and desperateness of Absalom's situation, highlighting the severity of his crime and his immediate response to avoid royal justice. This verb will be echoed later when David himself is forced to "flee" from Absalom (2 Sam 15:14), emphasizing a cycle of flight and displacement. The definitive action signifies the culmination of his revenge and the beginning of his self-imposed exile, removing him from David's direct jurisdiction for a time.

• "But Absalom fled": This short, decisive phrase signals the immediate aftermath of a heinous act of vengeance. It dramatically shifts the narrative's focus from the murder itself to the perpetrator's evasion of justice. The conjunction "but" powerfully contrasts with the chaos and misinformation preceding it, isolating Absalom's specific action. It highlights Absalom's resolve and foresight in his plan, which included an escape route, demonstrating his methodical, cold-blooded approach. This swift flight sets the tone for a new chapter in David's troubled reign, marked by division and internal strife, with Absalom now established as a rebellious, independent actor operating outside the king's direct control.

2 Samuel 13 34 Bonus section

The immediate flight of Absalom is a deliberate, pre-planned action, contrasting with spontaneous flight for self-preservation. Absalom had clearly thought through not just the act of vengeance but also his immediate escape and place of refuge (Geshur, his maternal grandfather's kingdom, as detailed in 2 Sam 13:37). This indicates the chilling premeditation behind Amnon's murder. While flight is common in the Bible (e.g., Jacob from Esau, Moses from Pharaoh, David from Saul and later from Absalom), Absalom's flight here is as a convicted murderer, illustrating a pursuit of unrighteous refuge rather than a flight from persecution or an attempt to delay justice. This specific type of flight reveals a man committed to his own course of action, irrespective of moral law or filial duty, establishing him as a potent antagonist whose rebellion against the established order is only beginning.

2 Samuel 13 34 Commentary

2 Samuel 13:34, though brief, is a moment of profound consequence within the narrative of David's house. It encapsulates the immediate result of Absalom's calculated vengeance for his sister Tamar, initiating a dramatic shift from hidden animosity to open familial breakdown. Absalom's swift "flight" (בָּרַח), driven by the weight of his murderous act and the certain expectation of his father's wrath, effectively removes him from the direct royal sphere of justice. This self-imposed exile highlights not just a personal escape, but a direct outworking of Nathan's prophecy regarding the "sword never departing from David's house" (2 Sam 12:10). The brevity of the verse belies its enormous theological and narrative weight: it signifies the deep fracture within David's family that began with his own sin, now amplified by his children's violence, setting a perilous precedent for future rebellion and national instability, leading directly to the full-blown civil war of chapters 15-18. It underscores the far-reaching and often tragic "wages of sin" (Rom 6:23), as the actions of a single family member can unleash waves of chaos upon a kingdom.