9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great eoak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten fshekels of silver, and a ggirdle. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should †receive a thousand fshekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: hfor in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, †Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus †with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the †midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid ia very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel jfled every one to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself ka pillar, which is in lthe king’s dale: for he said, mI have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.