2 Samuel 18:4-13

4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to them, “WhateverH834 seemsH3190 bestH3190 to you I will doH6213.” So 1the kingH4428 stoodH5975 besideH413H3027 the gateH8179, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 wentH3318 outH3318 by hundredsH3967 and thousandsH505. 5But the kingH4428 commandedH6680 JoabH3097, AbishaiH52, and IttaiH863, sayingH559, “Deal gentlyH328 with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53 for my sake.” And 2allH3605 the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 commandedH6680 allH3605 the commandersH8269 regardingH5921H1697 AbsalomH53.

6Then the peopleH5971 wentH3318 outH3318 to the fieldH7704 againstH7122 IsraelH3478, and the battleH4421 tookH1961 placeH1961 in 3the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7The peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 were 4defeatedH5062 thereH8033 by the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and the slaughterH4046 thereH8033 that dayH3117 was greatH1419, twentyH6242 thousandH505 men. 8For the battleH4421 thereH8033 was spreadH6327 overH5921H6440 the wholeH3605 countrysideH776, and the forestH3293 devouredH398 moreH7235 peopleH5971 that dayH3117 thanH4480H834 the swordH2719 devouredH398.

9Now AbsalomH53 encounteredH7122 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. AbsalomH53 was ridingH7392 on his muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 underH8478 the branchesH7730 of a massiveH1419 oakH424. Then 5his headH7218 caughtH2388 firmlyH2388 in the oakH424, and he was 6leftH5414 hangingH5414 betweenH996 the skyH8064 and earthH776, while the muleH6505 that was underH8478 him keptH5674 goingH5674. 10When a certainH259 manH376 sawH7200 him, he informedH5046 JoabH3097 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oakH424.” 11Then JoabH3097 saidH559 to the manH376 who had informedH5046 him, “So beholdH2009, you sawH7200 him! WhyH4069 then did you not strikeH5221 him thereH8033 to the groundH776? And it would have been 7my dutyH5921 to giveH5414 you tenH6235 pieces of silverH3701 and a beltH2290.” 12But the manH376 saidH559 to JoabH3097, “Even ifH3863 I were to 8receiveH8254 a thousandH505 pieces of silverH3701 in my handH3709, I would not putH7971 outH7971 my handH3027 againstH413 the king’sH4428 sonH1121; for 9in our hearingH241 the kingH4428 commandedH6680 you, AbishaiH52, and IttaiH863, sayingH559, ‘10ProtectH8104 the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53 for me!’ 13OtherwiseH176, if I had dealtH6213 treacherouslyH8267 against 11his lifeH5315 (and 12there is nothingH3605H1697H3808 hiddenH3582 from the kingH4428), then you yourselfH859 would have 13avoidedH3320H4480H5048 me.”