And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by
hundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with
Absalom."
And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge
concerning Absalom. So the people went out into the field against
Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of
Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a
great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. For the battle
was there spread over the face of all the country: and the forest
devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. And Absalom
chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon his mule,
and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, 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 on.
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw
Absalom hanging in an oak."
And Joab said unto the man that told him, "And, behold, thou sawest it,
and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have
given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle."
And the man said unto Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces
of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the
king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, 'Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.' Otherwise
if I had dealt falsely against his life, (and there is no matter hid
from the king,) then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me."
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. And ten young men that bare
Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab
blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel:
for Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom, and cast him into
the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of
stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.