2 Samuel 18:1-14

1And DavidH1732 numbered the peopleH5971 that were with him, and setH7760 captains of thousandsH505 and captains of hundredsH3967 over them. 2And DavidH1732 sentH7971 forthH3318 the peopleH5971, a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of JoabH3097, and a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, Joab’s brotherH251, and a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663. And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto the peopleH5971, I will surely goH3318 forthH3318 with you myself alsoH1571. 3But the peopleH5971 saidH559, Thou shalt not goH3318 forthH3318: for if we fleeH5127 away, they will not care for us; neither if halfH2677 of us dieH4191, will they care for us: but thou art worth tenH6235 thousandH505 of us; thereforeH6258 nowH6258 it is betterH2896 that thou beH1961 ready to succor us out of the cityH5892. 4And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto them, What seemeth you bestH3190 I will do. And the kingH4428 stoodH5975 by the gate-side, and all the peopleH5971 wentH3381 out by hundredsH3967 and by thousandsH505. 5And the kingH4428 commandedH6680 JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, Deal gently for my sake with the youngH5288 manH5288, even with AbsalomH53. And all the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 gave all the captains charge concerning AbsalomH53.

6So the peopleH5971 wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704 against IsraelH3478: and the battleH4421 wasH1961 in the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7And the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 wereH1961 smitten there before the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and there wasH1961 a greatH1419 slaughterH4046 there that dayH3117 of twentyH6242 thousandH505 men. 8For the battleH4421 wasH1961 there spread over the faceH6440 of all the country; and the forestH3293 devouredH398 more peopleH5971 that dayH3117 than the swordH2719 devouredH398.

9And AbsalomH53 chanced to meetH7122 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. And AbsalomH53 was ridingH7392 upon his muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 under the thick boughs of a greatH1419 oakH424, and his headH7218 caught holdH2388 of the oakH424, and he was takenH2388 up between heavenH8064 and earthH776; and the muleH6505 that was under him wentH935 on. 10And a certain manH376 sawH7200 it, and toldH5046 JoabH3097, and saidH559, Behold, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oakH424. 11And JoabH3097 saidH559 unto the manH376 that toldH5046 him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and whyH4069 didst thou not smite him there to the groundH776? and I would have givenH5414 thee tenH6235 pieces of silverH3701, and a girdle. 12And the manH376 saidH559 unto JoabH3097, Though I should receive a thousandH505 pieces of silverH3701 in my handH3027, yet would I not put forthH7971 my handH3027 against the king’sH4428 sonH1121: for in our hearing the kingH4428 charged thee and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, Beware that none touch the youngH5288 manH376 AbsalomH53. 13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his lifeH5315 (and there is no matterH1697 hid from the kingH4428), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14Then saidH559 JoabH3097, I may not tarry thusH3651 with thee. And he tookH3947 threeH7969 darts in his handH3709, and thrustH8628 them through the heartH3820 of AbsalomH53, while he was yetH5750 aliveH2416 in the midst of the oakH424.