1 And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds ouer them.
2 And Dauid sent forth a third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and a third part vnder the hand of Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah Ioabs brother, and a third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite: and the king said vnto the people, I will surely goe foorth with you my selfe also.
3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not care for vs, neither if halfe of vs die will they care for vs: but now thou art worth ten thousand of vs: therfore now it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.
4 And the King sayde vnto them, What seemeth you best, I will doe. And the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds, and by thousands.
5 And the king commanded Ioab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deale gently for my sake with the yong man, euen with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gaue all the captaines charge concerning Absalom.
6 ¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim,
7 Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
8 For the battell was there scattered ouer the face of all the countrey: and the wood deuoured more people that day, then the sword deuoured.
9 ¶ And Absalom met the seruants of Dauid; and Absalom rode vpon a mule, and the mule went vnder the thicke boughs of a great Oke, and his head caught hold of the Oke, and hee was taken vp betweene the heauen and the earth, and the mule that was vnder him, went away.
10 And a certaine man saw it, and told Ioab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an Oke.
11 And Ioab said vnto the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground, and I would haue giuen thee tenne shekels of siluer, and a girdle?
12 And the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousand shekels of siluer in mine hand, yet would I not put foorth mine hand against the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the yong man Absalom.
13 Otherwyse, I should haue wrought falshood against mine owne life: for there is no matter hid from the King, and thou thy selfe wouldest haue set thy selfe against me.
14 Then said Ioab, I may not tary thus with thee. And hee tooke three darts in his hand, and thrust them thorow the heart of Absalom, while hee was yet aliue in the midst of the Oke.
15 And ten yong men that bare Ioabs armour, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 And Ioab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Ioab helde backe the people.
17 And they tooke Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and layd a very great heape of stones vpon him: and all Israel fled euery one to his tent.
18 ¶ Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared vp for himselfe a pillar, which is in the Kings dale: for hee said, I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance: And hee called the pillar after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day, Absaloms place.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).