OT 26 The Closing Years of David and the Rise of Solomon
About this episode
The episode discusses the final years of King David's reign, the rebellion of his son Absalom, and the rise of Solomon as his successor.
Text: 2 Samuel chapters 15-24; 1 Kings chapters 1-3; 1 Chronicles chapters 28-29 Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapters 7-8 BYU Lecture 31: As David declines in life, his son Absalom conspires to kill David and take the throne, assisted by David’s traitorous prime minister Ahithophel. The rebellion becomes so threatening that David abandons Jerusalem to save the city from the ravages of civil war. Eventually, David’s army confronts the army of Absalom in the woods of Ephraim. David’s battle-tested “600 mighty ones” took control of the fight and Absalom’s army was devastated with over 20,000 killed. Absalom flees for his life through the forest and is caught by the gnarling branches of a tree, jerked from his racing mule and is left swinging helplessly in the air. David’s commanding officer, Joab, finds and kills Absalom. David mourns over the loss of this rebellious son. David now prepares all things to strengthen Israel, fortifies the government, gathers material for the new temple, reorganizes the lessor Priesthood into quorums, and establishes temple choirs and orchestras. As King David weakens from old age, another son named Adonijah seeks the throne. The…
More episodes of W. Cleon Skousen Insights
- OT 25 The Fall of King David
- OT 24: The Rise of Israel to Greatness
- Celebrating Our Constitution
- OT 23 David Becomes King of Israel
- OT 22 The Fall of King Saul
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