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2 Samuel / Battle in the Forest of Ephraim and Absalom's Death
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An Amalekite Reports Saul and Jonathan's Death David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan David Anointed King of Judah at Hebron Ish‑Bosheth Made King; Civil War with David Begins Abner Seeks Alliance with David Joab Murders Abner; David's Protest and Mourning Ish‑Bosheth Assassinated David Anointed King over All Israel David Captures Jerusalem and Establishes His House David's Victories over the Philistines Bringing the Ark to Jerusalem; Uzzah's Death and David's Joy God's Covenant with David David's Prayer of Thanksgiving for God's Promise David's Military Victories David's Officials and Mighty Men David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth War with the Ammonites and Syrians David and Bathsheba; the Death of Uriah Nathan Rebukes David; Judgment and Aftermath Amnon's Crime against Tamar Absalom Kills Amnon and Flees Joab Secures Absalom's Return and Reconciliation Absalom's Conspiracy and Rise to Power David Flees Jerusalem; Loyal Followers Accompany Him Ziba Brings Provisions to David Shimei Curses David as He Flees Counsel in Absalom's Court; Ahithophel's Plan and Hushai's Counterplot Battle in the Forest of Ephraim and Absalom's Death Reports of Victory and David's Grief for Absalom David's Return to Jerusalem; Reconciliation and Disputes Sheba's Revolt and Its Suppression Famine and the Gibeonites' Demand; Saul's Descendants Executed David's Battles with the Philistines and the Valor of His Men David's Song of Deliverance David's Final Oracle The Deeds of David's Mighty Warriors David's Census and the Resulting Plague David Purchases the Threshing Floor; Sacrifice and End of Plague

Battle in the Forest of Ephraim and Absalom's Death

2 Samuel 18:1-18

18
Chapter 18
1 And David mustered the people who were with him and set commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them. 2 David sent the people out: a third part in the hand of Joab, a third part in the hand of Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and a third part in the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, "I will go out with you also." 3 And the people said, "You must not go out, for if we flee, they will not care about us, and if half of us die, they will not care about us, for now there are ten thousands of us, and it is better that you will be to us from the city to help." 4 And the king said to them, "What seems good in your eyes, I will do." And the king stood by the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the lad Absalom." And all the people heard the king commanding all the chiefs concerning Absalom. 6 And the people went out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were struck down there before the servants of David, and the slaughter was great there on that day—twenty thousand. 8 And the battle spread over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured among the people more than the sword devoured on that day. 9 And Absalom called out before the servants of David, and Absalom rode on the mule, and the mule came under the terebinth of the great oak, and it gripped his head in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, and the mule that was under him passed on. 10 A certain man saw and told Joab, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in the oak." 11 Joab said to the man who had told him, "Look, you saw him. Why did you not strike him to the ground there? I would give you ten pieces of silver and a belt." 12 The man said to Joab, "No, even if I were offered a thousand pieces of silver on my palm for the king's son, I would not send my hand against the son of the king, for in our hearing he commanded you, Abishai, and me, saying, 'Guard who in the boy Absalom.'" 13 Otherwise, I would have done falsehood against my nephesh, and no word would be hidden from the king—you would stand opposite. 14 And Joab said, "No—I will not delay before you." And he took three staffs in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the terebinth. 15 And ten young men, bearers of Joab's weapons, surrounded him and struck Absalom and caused him to die. 16 And Joab blew the ram's horn, and the people stopped pursuing Israel because Joab held back the people. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into the forest into the great pit, and set up a very great heap of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each man to his tent. 18 Absalom had taken and set up for himself the pillar which in his lifetime was in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to cause my name to be remembered." So he called the pillar by his name, and it was called Absalom's Hand until this day.