2Samuel:18:1-18

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* And David numbered the people that were with him , and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them . * And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab , and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah , Joab 's brother , and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite . And the king said unto the people , I will surely go forth with you myself also . * But the people answered , Thou shalt not go forth : for if we flee away , they will not care for us ; neither if half of us die , will they care for us : but now thou art worth ten thousand of us : therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city . * And the king said unto them , What seemeth you best I will do . And the king stood by the gate side , and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands . * And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Deal gently for my sake with the young man , even with Absalom . And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom . * So the people went out into the field against Israel : and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim ; * Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David , and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men . * For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country : and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured . * And Absalom met the servants of David . And Absalom rode upon a mule , and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak , and his head caught hold of the oak , and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth ; and the mule that was under him went away . * And a certain man saw it , and told Joab , and said , Behold , I saw Absalom hanged in an oak . * And Joab said unto the man that told him , And , behold , thou sawest him , and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground ? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver , and a girdle . * And the man said unto Joab , Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand , yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king 's son : for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Beware that none touch the young man Absalom . * Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life : for there is no matter hid from the king , and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me . * Then said Joab , I may not tarry thus with thee . And he took three darts in his hand , and thrust them through the heart of Absalom , while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak . * And ten young men that bare Joab 's armour compassed about and smote Absalom , and slew him . * And Joab blew the trumpet , and the people returned from pursuing after Israel : for Joab held back the people . * And they took Absalom , and cast him into a great pit in the wood , and laid a very great heap of stones upon him : and all Israel fled every one to his tent . * Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar , which is in the king 's dale : for he said , I have no son to keep my name in remembrance : and he called the pillar after his own name : and it is called unto this day , Absalom 's place .

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