1 David counted the people who were
with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

2 David sent the people out, a third
part under the hand of Joab, and a third
part under the hand of Abishai the son of
Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part
under the hand ofIttaithe Gittite. The king
said to the people, “I will also surely go out
with you myself.”

3 But the people said, “You shall not go
out, for if we flee away, they will not care
for us, neither if half of us die, will they
care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that
you are ready to help us out of the city.”

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

5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai
and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake
with the young man Absalom.” All the
people heard when the king commanded
all the captains concerning Absalom.

6 So the people went out into the field
against Israel; and the battle was in the
forest of Ephraim.

7 The people of Israel were struck there
before David’s servants, and there was a
great slaughter there that day of twenty
thousand men.

8 For the battle was there spread over the
surface of all the country, and the forest
devoured more people that day than the
sword devoured.

9 Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on 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 hanging between
the sky and earth; and the mule that was
under him went on.

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

11 Joab said to the man who told him,
“Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you
strike him there to the ground? I would
have given you ten pieces of silver and a
sash.”

12 The man saidto Joab, “ThoughI should
receive a thousand pieces of silver in my
hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand
against the king’s son; for in our hearing
the king commanded you and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the
young man Absalom.’

13 Otherwise, ifI had dealtfalsely against
his life (and there is no matter hidden from
the king),then you yourself would have set
yourself against me.”

14 Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait
like this with you.” He took three darts in
his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the
middle of the oak.

15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and
killed him.

16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people
returned from pursuing after Israel; for
Joab held the people back.