Summary
David dispatches his troops under Joab, Abishai, and Ittai to fight the Israelite rebels in the wood of Ephraim. A fierce battle results in the slaughter of about twenty thousand soldiers. Absalom, riding a mule, is trapped in an oak and is killed by Joab who shoots him with a dart while he is alive. The people cease pursuing the rebels after Joab blows the trumpet, and Absalom’s body is cast into a pit and covered with stones. In the aftermath, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and Cushy rush to deliver tidings to King David. They confirm Absalom’s death and the avenging of David’s enemies, which moves David to weep for his lost son. The chapter concludes with Absalom’s pillar in the king’s dale, a memorial to his attempt to keep his name remembered.