2 Samuel 18:4-13

4“I will doH6213 whateverH834 seems bestH3190 to youH5869,” the kingH4428 repliedH559. So heH4428 stoodH5975 besideH413H3027 the gateH8179, while allH3605 the troopsH5971 marched outH3318 by hundredsH3967 and by thousandsH505.

5Now the kingH4428 had commandedH6680 JoabH3097, AbishaiH52, and IttaiH863H559, “Treat the young manH5288 AbsalomH53 gentlyH328 for my sake.” And allH3605 the peopleH5971 heardH8085 the king’sH4428 ordersH6680 to eachH3605 of the commandersH8269 regardingH5921H1697 AbsalomH53.

6So David’s armyH5971 marchedH3318 into the fieldH7704 to engageH7122 IsraelH3478, and the battleH4421 took placeH1961 in the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7ThereH8033 the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 were defeatedH5062 byH6440 David’sH1732 servantsH5650, and the slaughterH4046 wasH1961H8033 greatH1419 thatH1931 dayH3117—twentyH6242 thousandH505 men. 8The battleH4421 spreadH6327 overH5921H6440 the wholeH3605 countrysideH776, and thatH1931 dayH3117 the forestH3293 devouredH398 moreH7235 peopleH5971 thanH834H398 the swordH2719.

9Now AbsalomH53H6440 was ridingH7392 onH5921 his muleH6505 when heH53 metH7122 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and as the muleH6505 wentH935 underH8478 the thick branchesH7730 of a largeH1419 oakH424,1 Absalom’s headH7218 was caught fastH2388 in the treeH424. The muleH6505 under himH8478 kept goingH5674, so that he was suspendedH5414 in midairH996H8064H776. 10When oneH259 of the menH376 saw thisH7200, he toldH5046 JoabH3097, “I justH2009 sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oak treeH424!”

11“You justH2009 saw himH7200!” JoabH3097 exclaimedH559. “WhyH4069 did you notH3808 strike himH5221 to the groundH776H5921 right thereH8033? I would have givenH5414 you tenH6235 shekels of silverH37012 and aH259 warrior’s beltH2290!”

12The manH376 repliedH559, “Even ifH3863 a thousandH505 shekels of silverH37013 were weighed outH8254 intoH5921 my handsH3709, I would notH3808 raiseH7971 my handH3027 againstH413 the sonH1121 of the kingH4428. ForH3588 we heardH241 the kingH4428 command youH6680 and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863H559, ‘ProtectH8104 the young manH5288 AbsalomH53 for my sake.4’ 13IfH176 I had jeopardizedH6213H8267H3605H1697 my own lifeH53155—and nothingH3808 is hiddenH3582 fromH4480 the kingH4428—youH859 would have abandonedH3320 meH5048.”