Olam 2

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, <i>Deal</i> gently for my sake with the young man, <i>even</i> 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 wood of Ephraim;

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand <i>men</i>.

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a 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 <i>was</i> under him went away.

And a certain man saw <i>it</i>, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest <i>him</i>, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten <i>shekels</i> of silver, and a girdle.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand <i>shekels</i> of silver in mine hand, <i>yet</i> 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 <i>touch</i> the young man Absalom.

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 <i>me</i>.

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 <i>was</i> yet alive in the midst of the oak.