Absalom Slain

1 Then David 1numbered the people who were with him and aset over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

2 David sent the people out, aone third under the 1command of Joab, one third under the 1command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the 1command of bIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.”

3 But the people said, “aYou should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But 1you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.”

4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So athe king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.

5 The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And aall the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.

6 Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in athe forest of Ephraim.

7 The people of Israel were 1defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men.

8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And ahis head caught fast in the oak, so he was 1left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.

10 When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

11 Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Now behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12 The man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for ain our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘1Protect for me the young man Absalom!’

13 “Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and athere is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”

14 Then Joab said, “I will not 1waste time here with you.” aSo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the 2midst of the oak.

15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then aJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people.

17 They took Absalom and cast him into 1a deep pit in the forest and aerected over him a very great heap of stones. And ball Israel fled, each to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and aset up for himself a pillar which is in bthe King’s Valley, for he said, “cI have no son 1to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.