4. The king said to them, “I will do what you think is best.” Then the king stood by the gate as the army went out in groups of 100 and 1000.
5. The king gave a command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. He said, “Do this for me: Be gentle with young Absalom!” Everyone heard the king’s orders about Absalom to the captains.
6. David’s army went out into the field against Absalom’s Israelites. They fought in the forest of Ephraim.
7. David’s army defeated the Israelites. It was a great defeat because 20,000 men were killed that day.
8. The battle spread throughout the country, but more men died in the forest than by the sword.
9. It so happened that David’s officers found Absalom. Absalom jumped on his mule and tried to escape, but the mule went under the branches of a large oak tree. The branches were thick, and Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. His mule ran out from under him, so Absalom was left hanging above the ground.
10. Someone saw this happen and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”