6. So the people went out into the field to meet Yisra’ĕl. And the battle was in the forest of Ephrayim,
7. and the people of Yisra’ĕl were smitten there before the servants of Dawiḏ. And the slaughter there that day was great – twenty thousand.
8. And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9. And when Aḇshalom met the servants of Dawiḏ, Aḇshalom was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth. And he was suspended between the heavens and earth while the mule which was under him passed on.
10. And a certain man saw it and informed Yo’aḇ, and said, “Look, I saw Aḇshalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”
11. And Yo’aḇ said to the man who informed him, “Now look, you saw, and why did you not smite him to the earth there? Then I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”
12. But the man answered Yo’aḇ, “Though I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the son of the sovereign. Because in our hearing the sovereign ordered you and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Take heed, you who go against the youth, against Aḇshalom!’
13. “Otherwise I would have been untrue to my own life. For no matter is hidden from the sovereign, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14. And Yo’aḇ said, “Let me not waste time here with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Aḇshalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
15. And ten young men who bore Yo’aḇ’s armour went around, and smote Aḇshalom and put him to death.
16. And Yo’aḇ blew the ram’s horn, and the people returned from pursuing Yisra’ĕl, for Yo’aḇ had held the people back.