Joab had enough of Absalom’s behavior and considered him very dangerous to David’s throne and the nation of Israel. Yet, David wanted Absalom’s life to be spared even after all the destruction and rebellion that Absalom had created over the last decade (murder of Amnon after two years of planning, 2 Sm. 13:23; three years in Geshur, 2 Sm. 13:38; two years waiting in Jerusalem to be brought back into the king’s court, 2 Sm. 14:28; and four years of conspiracy from within the king’s court,
2 Sm. 15:7).

Because of Absalom David and his court had to flee Jerusalem, they lost many men in battle and the entire nation, including the economy had been upset. Yet, while David was hiding in an “undisclosed location” for his own protection he asked his General Joab and the troops, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” (2 Samuel 18:5)

This request is an example of a king who is out of touch with reality. The entire kingdom of which David is responsible for has been rocked by Absalom’s rebellion. Many lives, careers, fortunes, homes, etc. have been lost including the nation’s stability as an international power! Yet, David is concerned about what? David says, “for my sake.” David is concerned at this moment of a civil war about himself. This is not about how David feels! And, this is not about saving the king’s son. This is about the leader of the nation eliminating a man who has threatened the security of everyone in the nation. For David to be in this state of mind is unprofessional. David is no longer mentally or emotionally qualified to be king. David is not worthy to be king if he cannot maintain his priorities.

Thus when Joab finds Absalom stuck in a tree he rebukes the soldier who obeyed David’s orders since this would only have prolonged the rebellion and led to the death of many other people. But, to prevent any one person being held responsible for the death the king’s son Joab has Absalom killed by a group of unnamed soldiers serving as his armor-bearers.

“Paul regarded the resurrection as an event in history supported by the strongest possible eyewitness testimony, including his own
(1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
For Paul, the historicity of the resurrection was a necessary condition for the truth of Christianity and the validity
of Christian belief.”
– Ronald H. Nash

Thomas Aquinas’ monumental theological work, “Summa Theologica,” was completed in 1273. This masterpiece from the days
of the scholastic movement
in the Middle Ages distinguished the branches
of reason and revelation to unite the fields of
philosophy and theology.