2 Samuel 18:9-18

International Children’s Bible

Absalom Dies

⁹ Then Absalom happened to meet David’s troops. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under a large oak tree. The branches were thick, and Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. His mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging above the ground.

¹⁰ When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab. He said, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

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

¹² The man answered, “I wouldn’t try to hurt the king’s son. I wouldn’t even if you gave me 25 pounds of silver. We heard the king’s command to you, Abishai and Ittai. The king said, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.’ ¹³ If I had killed him, the king would have found out. And you would not have protected me!”

¹⁴ Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Now 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. They struck him and killed him.

¹⁶ Then Joab blew the trumpet. So the troops stopped chasing Absalom’s Israelites. ¹⁷ Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body. They threw it into a large pit in the forest. Then they filled the pit with many stones. All the Israelites who followed Absalom ran away and went home.

¹⁸ When Absalom was alive, he had put up a pillar in the King’s Valley. It was a monument to himself. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the pillar after himself. That pillar is called Absalom’s Monument even today.