13. If I had acted at risk of my own life – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.”
14. Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree.
15. Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.
16. Then Joab blew the trumpet and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.
17. They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes.
18. Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.
19. Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.”