5. 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.
6. So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
7. And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8. For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9. And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his 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 heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.
11. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.
12. And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my 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.
13. Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.