There was a friend of David with Absalom, named Hushai. Hushai pretended to be Absalom's friend, and listened to all the wicked prince said; and when he found that Absalom was determined to go to battle against his father, he told the priests, and they told David. So David made his soldiers ready to go and fight against Absalom. But David still loved his son, and he told the captains, even as they went into battle, to deal gently with wicked Absalom. The battle was in the woods of Ephraim, and David's soldiers soon conquered the rebellious people; and twenty thousand were slain. Then Absalom tried to escape; but as he went through the wood, his long hair caught in the branches of an oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and earth! The mule ran away, and Absalom hung in the oak. One of David's soldiers saw Absalom hanging there, but harmed him not, because he remembered David's command. He went, however, and told Joab; and Joab, caring not, took three darts, and went to the tree where Absalom hung, and smote him, and killed him. So the battle was ended, and David had the victory. But David himself did not see the battle. He was waiting by the gate of the city Mahanaim to hear the news. The watchman went up to the top of the wall to look. At last he saw a man running, and he told the king. David began to tremble; for he was indeed afraid. Soon after, another man came running and the first soon came to David and fell down, and said, “God has delivered up the men who lifted their hand against the king." But David thought most about his cannot tell." son; and he asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" But the messenger said, " I Then the other man came to David and said, "The Lord has avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.” But David had no thought for the victory; he thought only of Absalom, and he cried again, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The messenger dreaded to grieve the king; he could not then tell him the whole sad story. He only said, "May the king's enemies all be as that young man is now." But David understood what this meant. He knew that Absalom was slain. He could bear to hear no more. He arose directly and went to his own room, for he wished to be alone; and as he went up he cried, very, very sorrowfully, “O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" ABSALOM. The pall was settled. He who slept beneath As when, in hours of gentle dalliance, bathing His helm was at his feet; his banner, soiled The soldiers of the king trod to and fro, A slow step startled him. He grasped his blade |