2 Samuel 18:9

9 Absalom happened to come face to face with some of David's men. He was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the tangled branches of a large tree. Absalom's head became caught in the tree. So he was left hanging in midair when the mule that was under him ran away.

2 Samuel 18:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:9

And Absalom met the servants of David
When his army was routed, he was in such a fright that he knew not which way to flee, and instead of flying from David's men, he fled in the way of them; but none of them attempted to slay him, nor even to stop him, but let him pass by them, knowing David's charge concerning him:

and Absalom rode upon a mule;
as was common for great personages to do in those days, ( 2 Samuel 13:29 ) ;

and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak;
and running full speed, Absalom could not guide him, nor stop, nor divert him from going under it:

and his head caught hold of the oak;
either the hair of his head was twisted and entangled in the thick boughs of the oak; or rather his head was jammed into a forked branch of the oak:

and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth;
hung in the air between both, as unworthy to live in either:

and the mule that [was] under him went away;
and left him hanging in the oak.

2 Samuel 18:9 In-Context

7 There David's men defeated Israel's army, and the massacre was sizable that day--20,000 men.

8 The fighting spread over the whole country. That day the woods devoured more people than the battle.

9 Absalom happened to come face to face with some of David's men. He was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the tangled branches of a large tree. Absalom's head became caught in the tree. So he was left hanging in midair when the mule that was under him ran away.

10 A man who saw this told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in a tree."

11 "What! You saw that!" Joab said to the man who told him. "Why didn't you strike him to the ground? Then I would have felt obligated to give you four ounces of silver and a belt."