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[236]
Then did Joab put his army in battle-array over against the enemy
in the Great Plain, where he had a wood behind him. Absalom also brought
his army into the field to oppose him. Upon the joining of the battle,
both sides showed great actions with their hands and their boldness; the
one side exposing themselves to the greatest hazards, and using their utmost
alacrity, that David might recover his kingdom; and the other being no
way deficient, either in doing or suffering, that Absalom might not be
deprived of that kingdom, and be brought to punishment by his father for
his impudent attempt against him. Those also that were the most numerous
were solicitous that they might not be conquered by those few that were
with Joab, and with the other commanders, because that would be the greater
disgrace to them; while David's soldiers strove greatly to overcome so
many ten thousands as the enemy had with them. Now David's men were conquerors,
as superior in strength and skill in war; so they followed the others as
they fled away through the forests and valleys; some they took prisoners,
and many they slew, and more in the flight than in the battle for there
fell about twenty thousand that day. But all David's men ran violently
upon Absalom, for he was easily known by his beauty and tallness. He was
himself also afraid lest his enemies should seize on him, so he got upon
the king's mule, and fled; but as he was carried with violence, and noise,
and a great motion, as being himself light, he entangled his hair greatly
in the large boughs of a knotty tree that spread a great way, and there
he hung, after a surprising manner; and as for the beast, it went
on farther, and that swiftly, as if his master had been still upon his
back; but he, hanging in the air upon the boughs, was taken by his enemies.
Now when one of David's soldiers saw this, he informed Joab of it; and
when the general said, that if he had shot at and killed Absalom, he would
have given him fifty shekels, - he replied, "I would not have killed
my master's son if thou wouldst have given me a thousand shekels, especially
when he desired that the young man might be spared in the hearing of us
all." But Joab bade him show him where it was that he saw Absalom
hang; whereupon he shot him to the heart, and slew him, and Joab's armor-bearers
stood round the tree, and pulled down his dead body, and cast it into a
great chasm that was out of sight, and laid a heap of stones upon him,
till the cavity was filled up, and had both the appearance and the bigness
of a grave. Then Joab sounded a retreat, and recalled his own soldiers
from pursuing the enemy's army, in order to spare their countrymen.
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