Absalom, My Son

One king dey climb di stairs go one room wey dey on top of di city gate, e dey cry as e dey go. E just win war. But all wey e fit talk, again and again, na one name. My son. My son.

Absalom na King David son, and everybody dey notice am. Di Bible talk say nobody for di whole Israel wey people praise im fine face reach am, no blemish from im head reach im leg, and im hair thick well well, everybody know am for am. But trouble dey between papa and son. Many years of pain inside di royal family don make Absalom bitter and make David far from am. And Absalom get one plan.

Every morning, e go wake up early come stand for di road wey enter di city gate, where people dey come with their case make di king settle am. E go call dem, Where you come from? and e go listen to their story. Your case good and e correct, e go talk, but di king no get anybody wey go hear you. If only dem make me judge for di land, I go make sure say you get justice. And when people bow for am, e go stretch hand, carry dem up and kiss dem. Di Bible talk am simple. Na so Absalom steal di heart of di people of Israel. After four years, e go Hebron, di town where dem first crown David, and e make dem blow trumpet all over di land. Absalom don be king!

One messenger run go meet David. Di heart of Israel dey with Absalom. And David do something wey surprise. E no fight for di city. Get up, we must run, or none of us go escape. E waka comot from Jerusalem with im household and im loyal men, cross di Kidron Valley go up di Mount of Olives, e no wear shoe, e cover im head, e dey cry. Di people wey dey with am dey cry too. Di priests carry di ark of God come, but David send am back. If Di Lord dey happy with me, e talk, e go bring me back to see am. If no be so, make e do me wetin good for im eye. For road, one man wey dem dey call Shimei dey throw stone and curse am. David men want make e shut up. David talk, leave am.

Back for Jerusalem, Absalom ask im advisers wetin e go do. Ahithophel, di adviser wey get wisdom pass for di land, talk say make dem attack David now, tonight, as e don tire. But Hushai, David friend, don stay back, e dey pretend say e dey serve Absalom. E talk, wait. Gather di whole Israel first. Absalom like Hushai plan pass. Di Bible talk say na Di Lord arrange am, to scatter di good advice of Ahithophel. Di delay give David time to cross di Jordan and prepare.

Di armies meet for di forest of Ephraim. Before di battle, David give im commanders one order, loud reach say every soldier hear am. Because of me, una handle di young man Absalom gently. David men win di day. And di forest, di Bible talk, kill more people pass di sword. Absalom dey ride one mule under one big oak tree when im head hook for di thick branches. Di mule run go, and e remain dey hang between heaven and earth. One soldier find am, but e no gree touch am, because of di king order. But Joab, David strong general, ignore di order. E take three spears and push dem enter Absalom heart while e still dey alive for di oak tree, and ten of Joab young men wey dey carry im armour surround Absalom, strike am, and kill am. Two runners race go back to David. E ask only one thing. Di young man Absalom dey safe?

Absalom choose im place with care. For old Israel, di city gate pass ordinary door. Na there elders dey sit hear court cases, na there people dey witness agreements, and na there news dey spread. For di book of Ruth, Boaz settle one family matter in front of ten elders for di town gate. Archaeologists don dig out big gate buildings for Israelite cities, some with stone benches wey dem build along di walls. As Absalom stand for di gate, e dey stand for di place where justice suppose happen.

When di news come, David go up to di room wey dey on top of di gate, e cry. O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only na me die instead of you. You go find dis story for Second Samuel, chapter fifteen reach eighteen. Absalom win people heart with sweet mouth, and e turn dem against im own papa. David, even after dem betray am, no ever stop to love im son. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Whose words dey shape your heart, and dem dey lead you go near di people wey love you, or dem dey carry you go far from dem?