2 Samuel 18 Summary

David numbers his people and sets captains of thousands and hundreds over them, dividing his forces under Joab, Abishai, and Ittai the Gittite. The people refuse to let David himself go forth to battle, reasoning he is worth ten thousand of them and should instead secure the city. David agrees to stand by the gate while all people pass out by hundreds and thousands. He commands the captains to deal gently with Absalom for his sake. The battle rages in the wood of Ephraim; twenty thousand of Israel's men are slain, and the wood devours more people than the sword. Absalom, riding a mule, becomes caught by his head in the thick boughs of a great oak while the mule passes under, leaving him suspended between heaven and earth. A man reports this to Joab, who offers ten shekels and a girdle to any who will strike Absalom. The man refuses, saying he heard the king charge them not to touch Absalom, and he will not raise his hand against the king's son. Joab takes three darts and thrusts them through Absalom's heart while he yet hangs alive in the oak; ten young men then smite him and slay him. Joab sounds the trumpet, and the people cease pursuing Israel. They cast Absalom into a great pit in the wood and heap a great pile of stones upon him. All Israel flees to his tents. Absalom had raised a pillar in his lifetime in the king's dale, saying he had no son to keep his name in remembrance; it is called unto this day Absalom's place.