Battle in the Forest of Ephraim and Absalom's Death
2 Samuel 18:1-18
1And David reckoned the people who were with him, and he set over them rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds.2And David sent the people, a third under the hand of Joab, and a third under the hand of Abishai son of Zeruiah brother of Joab, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite; and the king said to the people, "I will surely come out, I also with you."3And the people said, "You shall not come out, for if we surely flee, they will not set their heart upon us; and if half of us die, they will not set their heart upon us, for now like us are ten thousand; and now it is pleasant that you be to us from the city to help."4And the king said to them, "Whatever is good in your eyes I will do." And the king stood at the hand of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Softly for me concerning the youth Absalom." And all the people heard when the king commanded all the rulers concerning the word of Absalom.6And the people went out of the land to meet Israel, and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim.7And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was there a great plague on that day, twenty thousand.8And the battle was scattered there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more of the people that day than the sword devoured.9And Absalom was met before the servants of David, and Absalom was riding upon the mule, and the mule came under the thicket of the great oak, and his head was caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, and the mule that was under him went on.10And one man saw and told Joab and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in the oak."11And Joab said to the man who told him, "Behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been upon me to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt."12And the man said to Joab, "And if I were weighing upon my palm a thousand of silver, I would not send my hand against the son of the king, for in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Keep who is in the youth Absalom.'"13Or if I had dealt falsely against his life, nothing would be hidden from the king, and you yourself would stand aloof.14And Joab said, "Not so will I wait before you." And he took three tribes in his palm and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the oak.15And ten youths lifting the articles of Joab surrounded and smote Absalom and caused him to die.16And Joab blew in the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab withheld the people.17And they took Absalom and threw him into the great pit in the wood, and they heaped over him a great heap of stones; and all Israel fled, each man to his tent.18And Absalom took and set up for himself in his life a pillar which is in the valley of the king, for he said, "There is nothing to me a son for the sake of remembering my name." And he called the pillar upon his name, and it was called Hand of Absalom to this day.