2 Samuel 18:9-18

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Absalom’s Death

⁹ Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.^{[a] 10} One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

¹¹ “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed.^[b] “Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you 10 silver pieces^[c] and a belt!”

¹² The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of 1,000 pieces of silver^[d] in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’^{[e](A) 13} If I had jeopardized my own^[f] life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

¹⁴ Joab said, “I’m not going to waste time with you!” He then took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak tree, ¹⁵ and 10 young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

¹⁶ Afterward, Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them. ¹⁷ They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him.^(B) And all Israel fled, each to his tent.^(C)

¹⁸ When he was alive, Absalom had set up a pillar^(D) for himself in the King’s Valley,^(E) for he had said, “I have no son^(F) to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name. It is still called Absalom’s Monument today.