Hatrack River Forum: absalom (when david heard)

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Posted by musyklvr (Member # 8279) on :

ok. i am just starting to truly find my spirtuality. and i don't own a bible yet.

(that's another question...can someone recommend a good version?)

anyway, i love the music of eric whitacre. i sang a few of his songs when i was in the chamber singers at duquense university, and i fell in love with "when david heard", which merely says, "When David heard that Absalom was slain he went up into his chamber over the gate and wept, my son, my son, O Absalom my son, would God I had died for thee!"

then i was rereading _ender's shadow_ and bean cries out that same sentance.

would god i had died for thee.

i have looked up the story online, but can only find the children's version. can anyone help me understand this story?

thanks in advance.

*love and sunshine*
jessyka

Posted by Liz B (Member # 8238) on :

NRSV story of David and Absalom

My preferred version of the Bible is the New Revised Standard Version, although it's a little harder to read than the NIV (New International Version). I prefer the NRSV simply because of stylistic issues -- I think the language is nicer. In a lot of cases, people's preferred translation is based at least in part on their denomination, so you may get lots of other recommendations.

As for understanding the story, there it is in the NRSV; I'd be glad to discuss it with you further if you have questions or comments . . . but I don't want to give you my take on it until you've read it for yourself.

Have you ever sung Randall Thompson's "Last Words of King David" or The Peaceable Kingdom? They're two of my favorite settings of Biblical texts.

-liz

Posted by musyklvr (Member # 8279) on :

"the last words of david" by randall thompson...it's been years, but that was always one of my favorites as well. of course, his "allelujah" is his most popular, but there's just something about the text...

i used to sing at the first baptist church in pittsburgh, pennsylvannia, and the director, david, had us do many gorgeous classical compositions. i wish i could find another church with music like that. i think my favorite song we did, though, was by alan hovhaness..."from the end of the earth." and i always enjoyed "the lord bless you and keep you" by john rutter.

i will look up your link...thank you for your help. i'll also let you know my views. [Smile]

*love and sunshine*
jessyka

Posted by ProverbialSunrise (Member # 7771) on :

I also enjoy my NRSV bible. I think that's because I agree with the commentary that the editor added in . I disagreee with the commentary in the NIV.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Short version: Absalom was David's third son. When David's elder son raped Absalom's sister, Absalom had him killed. The other sons of David feared a coup and fled. Over time, Absalom schemed to take the throne and managed to gain a great deal of popular support -- finally fielding an army and successfully conquering Jerusalem, driving his father from the throne. The whole time, David mourns Absalom's betrayal; he apparently really loves his son. Absalom's army is finally destroyed in a decisive engagement, and his head gets caught in a forked branch (!) as he rides away on his mule, at which point he's killed by some javelins thrown by Joab, one of David's generals. Joab brags about this to David, who then falls into grief. (Joab rebukes him for this unseemly grief in the very next verse.)

Of course, shortly thereafter, David gets to pick the punishment for his ordering a census. He leaves it up to God, who decides to kill seventy thousand people.

Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :

We use ESV; its easier to read than the King James' version, but closer to the original language than the others.

--j_k

Posted by Starr R (Member # 8361) on :

...my son, my son, O Absalom my son, would God I had died for thee!"
... and Bean cries out that same sentance.

I know what you mean! When I read that I had to put the book down--all the words suddenly became wobbly and hard to read. Very emotional. Kudos to OSC.

Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :

Personally, the story of King David is one of my all time favorites in the Bible.

Posted by Earendil18 (Member # 3180) on :

Eric Whitacre's a capella pieces are beautiful, especially "When David Heard". Interesting story too.