From the walls of Mahanaim, the long lines of Absalom’s army were in full view. The rebel was accompanied by a vast host; David’s force seemed only a handful in comparison. As the army filed out from the city gates, David encouraged his faithful soldiers, urging them to go out trusting that the God of Israel would give them victory. But as Joab, leading the column, passed his king, the conqueror of a hundred battlefields stooped his proud head to hear the monarch’s last message, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And Abishai and Ittai received the same instruction. But the king’s plea, seeming to say that Absalom was dearer to him than the subjects faithful to his throne, only increased the anger of the soldiers toward the unnatural son.
The place of battle was a woods near the Jordan river. Among the thickets and marshes of the forest, the great numbers of undisciplined troops of Absalom’s army became confused and unmanageable. And “the people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day.”
Absalom, seeing that the battle was lost, had turned to flee, and his head became caught between the branches of a widespreading tree. His mule, going out from under him, left him hopelessly suspended, a prey for his enemies. He was found by a soldier, who spared him because he was afraid of displeasing the king, but reported to Joab what he had seen.
Joab was not held back by any hesitation. He had befriended Absalom, having twice reconciled him with David, and the trust had been shamelessly betrayed. If Joab had not obtained advantages for Absalom, this rebellion could never have occurred. “And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart. ... And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him.”
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