2 Samuel 18:9-18

Expanded Bible

Absalom Dies

⁹ Then Absalom happened to ·meet [run into; come upon] David’s ·troops [^Lservants]. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under the thick branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s head got caught in the tree, and his mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging ·above the ground [^Lbetween heaven and earth].

¹⁰ When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom ·hanging [dangling] in an oak tree!”

¹¹ Joab said to him, “You saw him? Why didn’t you ·kill him and let him fall to [^Lstrike him to] the ground? I would have given you a belt and ·four ounces [^Lten pieces] of silver!”

¹² The man answered, “I wouldn’t ·touch [^Lraise my hand against] the king’s son even if ·you gave me [^LI felt in my hand the weight of] ·twenty-five pounds [^La thousand pieces] of silver. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘·Be careful not to hurt [For my sake protect/spare] young Absalom.’ ¹³ If I had ·killed him [betrayed the king by killing his son], ·the king would have found out [and there is nothing hidden from the king], and you would ·not have protected [have kept your distance/aloof from] me!”

¹⁴ Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, so Joab took three spears and stabbed him in the heart. ¹⁵ Ten young men who carried Joab’s armor also gathered around Absalom and struck him and killed him.

¹⁶ Then Joab blew the trumpet, so the troops ·stopped [returned from] chasing the Israelites. ¹⁷ Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body and threw it into a ·large [deep] pit in the forest and ·filled the pit with [^Lpiled over him] many stones. All the Israelites ·ran away [fled] to their homes.

¹⁸ When Absalom was alive, he had ·set up a pillar for [built a monument to] himself in the King’s Valley. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the ·pillar [monument] after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument even today.