1)
David kissed him. Did this show that he was reconciled with him?
1.
Malbim: No. Ibn Ezra (Bereishis 27:27) wrote that Neshikah followed by the prefix Lamed is on the hand or shoulder; without a Lamed, it is on the mouth. 1 It would be proper to kiss his Bechor 2 , who will rule after him, on the mouth. This shows that David did not intend to make Avshalom king after himself.
1
Refer to Bereishis 29:11:1:2*.
2
Refer to 14:25:1:2*. Even if David had already sworn that Shlomo will succeed him, based on a Nevu'ah, Malbim (25) explained that Avshalom did not know this. He inferred from the way David kissed him that he still hates him. (PF)
