10
And a certain man saw
it and told Joab, saying, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11
And Joab replied unto the man that told him, Behold, when thou didst see
him, why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? I would have given thee ten
shekels of silver and a girdle.
12
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
shekels of silver in my hand,
yet I would not put forth my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that no one
touch the young man Absalom.
13
Otherwise, I should have wrought falsehood against my own soul (for there is no matter hid from the king), and thou thyself would have set thyself against
me.
14
Then Joab answered, I may not tarry thus with thee. And taking three darts in his hand, he thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he
was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15
And ten young men that bore Joab’s armour surrounded and smote Absalom and slew him.
16
Then Joab blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.
17
And they took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest and laid a very great heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled each one to his tent.
18
Now Absalom, while he was alive, had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which
is in the king’s valley; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place. {Heb. hand}
19
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me now run and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD has vindicated him of his enemies.
20
And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings today, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings because the king’s son is dead.