Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then (A)his head caught firmly in the oak, and he was [a]left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw him, he informed Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had informed him, “So behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been [b]my duty to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were to [c]receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for (B)in our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘[d]Protect the young man Absalom for me!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against [e]his life (and (C)there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have [f]avoided me.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not [g]waste time here with you.” (D)So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the [h]midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then (E)Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into [i]a deep pit in the forest, and (F)erected over him a very large pile of stones. And (G)all Israel fled, each to his own tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and (H)set up for himself a memorial stone, which is in (I)the King’s Valley, for he said, “(J)I have no son to [j]continue my name.” So he named the memorial stone after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 18:9 Lit placed
  2. 2 Samuel 18:11 Lit And upon me
  3. 2 Samuel 18:12 Lit weigh
  4. 2 Samuel 18:12 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT Protect, whoever you are, the
  5. 2 Samuel 18:13 Another reading is my life; i.e., at the risk of my own life
  6. 2 Samuel 18:13 Lit stood aloof
  7. 2 Samuel 18:14 Lit wait so with
  8. 2 Samuel 18:14 Lit heart
  9. 2 Samuel 18:17 Lit the great
  10. 2 Samuel 18:18 Lit bring to remembrance

During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair[a] got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. 10 One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”

11 “What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver[b] and a hero’s belt!”

12 “I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,[c]” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ 13 And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”

14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. 15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel. 17 They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.

18 During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:9 Hebrew his head.
  2. 18:11 Hebrew 10 [shekels] of silver, about 4 ounces or 114 grams in weight.
  3. 18:12 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or 11.4 kilograms in weight.