Cyberdov

Asher Harris pointed out a most interesting literary parallel to me. In the Akedah:

- Isaac is completely innocent

- an angel of God intervenes to prevent him from being killed

- A substitute ram is found, with its horns tangled in a bush (sevach - Genesis 22:13)

Now see the Absalom story in  II Samuel 17-18. Here,

- Absalom is anything but innocent - and yet David does not wish him to be harmed. In fact, Joab must point out to David that he has everything backwards - see 19:7: ” … thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee… if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well”

- David deeply regrets the death - doubtless if he had the ability, he would have prevented it

- Absalom himself is killed after he is tangled by his hair in a tree (sovech ha-elah - 18:9)

What are we to make of this? It seems that the Absalom story is a bizarre mirror of the Akedah story. Everything is backward. David is the angel, but unsuccessful. Absalom is  the victim but there is no ram.

Anyone?

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