2 Samuel 18:9 Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

◄ 2 Samuel 18:9 ►

New International Version
Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

New Living Translation
During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air.

English Standard Version
And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

King James Bible
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

New King James Version
Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.

New American Standard Bible
Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then his head caught firmly in the oak, and he was left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.

NASB 1995
Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.

NASB 1977
Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him passed onward.

Amplified Bible
Now Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a massive tree, and his head was caught in [the thick branches of] the tree; and he was left hanging [in midair] between heaven and earth, while the mule that had been under him kept going.

Christian Standard Bible
Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.

American Standard Version
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

Contemporary English Version
Absalom was riding his mule under a huge tree when his head caught in the branches. The mule ran off and left Absalom hanging in midair. Some of David's soldiers happened by,

English Revised Version
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Absalom happened to come face to face with some of David's men. He was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the tangled branches of a large tree. Absalom's head became caught in the tree. So he was left hanging in midair when the mule that was under him ran away.

Good News Translation
Suddenly Absalom met some of David's men. Absalom was riding a mule, and as it went under a large oak tree, Absalom's head got caught in the branches. The mule ran on and Absalom was left hanging in midair.

International Standard Version
Absalom happened to run into David's soldiers. While Absalom was trying to get away on his mule, it ran under the thick branches of a giant oak tree, and Absalom's head got caught in the tree! As his mule ran out from under him, Absalom was left hanging above the ground.

Majority Standard Bible
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

NET Bible
Then Absalom happened to come across David's men. Now as Absalom was riding on his mule, it went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, while the mule he had been riding kept going.

New Heart English Bible
And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. And he was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head got caught in the oak, and he was left suspended in midair, while the mule that was under him kept going.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was suspended between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

World English Bible
Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Absalom meets before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule comes in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head takes hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that [is] under him has passed on.

Young's Literal Translation
And Absalom meeteth before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule cometh in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head taketh hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that is under him hath passed on.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Absalom will meet before the servants of David, and Absalom rode upon the mule, and the mule will go under the thicket of the great oak, and his head will lay hold upon the oak, and he will be given between the heavens and between the earth; and the mule which was under him passed by.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it happened that Absalom met he servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and he earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.

New American Bible
Absalom unexpectedly came up against David’s servants. He was mounted on a mule, and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large oak tree, his hair caught fast in the tree. He hung between heaven and earth while the mule under him kept going.

New Revised Standard Version
Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and Absalom's head caught fast in the great oak, and he was hanging between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abishlum was met in front of the Servants of David and Abishlum was riding on a mule, and the mule went in under the bough of a big branch. and the head of Abishlum was caught in the big branch, and he was hanging between Heaven and Earth, and the mule that was under him passed through and left

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abessalom went to meet the servants of David: and Abessalom was mounted on his mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head was entangled in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth; and the mule passed on from under him.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Absalom Killed
…8The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword. 9Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair. 10When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Judges 9:53-54
But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. / He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

2 Samuel 14:26
And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard.

2 Samuel 17:23
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

1 Kings 1:52
And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

1 Kings 2:25
So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

Psalm 7:15-16
He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. / His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

Psalm 9:15
The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

Psalm 35:8
May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.

Psalm 37:15
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

Proverbs 11:5-6
The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness. / The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.

Proverbs 28:10
He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

John 18:10-11
Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. / “Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”

Treasury of Scripture

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

2 Samuel 18:14
Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

2 Samuel 14:26
And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

2 Samuel 17:23
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

taken up

Deuteronomy 21:23
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 27:16,20
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen…

Job 18:8-10
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare…

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2 Samuel 18

1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom

Berean Study Bible

Now Absalom happened to meet
The phrase "happened to meet" suggests a seemingly coincidental encounter, yet within the divine narrative of Scripture, it underscores the sovereignty of God. In Hebrew, the word for "happened" can imply an unexpected or unplanned event, yet nothing is outside God's providential control. This meeting was a pivotal moment orchestrated within God's plan for justice and the fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy regarding the consequences of David's sin (2 Samuel 12:10-12).

the servants of David
The "servants of David" refers to the loyal soldiers and followers of King David. Historically, these men were seasoned warriors, fiercely loyal to their king. This encounter highlights the ongoing conflict between David and his son Absalom, who had usurped the throne. The loyalty of David's servants contrasts with Absalom's rebellion, emphasizing themes of fidelity and divine order.

He was riding his mule
In ancient Israel, a mule was a symbol of royalty and authority, often used by kings and their sons. Absalom's choice of a mule signifies his claim to kingship and his royal status. However, the mule also becomes an instrument of his downfall, illustrating the biblical principle that pride precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18).

and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak
The "thick branches of a large oak" provide a vivid image of the natural world playing a role in divine judgment. Oaks were significant in ancient Near Eastern culture, often associated with strength and endurance. The oak becomes a tool in God's hands, symbolizing how creation itself can serve divine purposes.

Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree
The phrase "caught fast" indicates a sudden and inescapable entrapment. In Hebrew, the word used here can imply being seized or held firmly. Absalom's head, representing his pride and rebellious thoughts, becomes ensnared, symbolizing the entrapment of sin and the inevitable consequences of rebellion against God's anointed.

The mule under him kept going
The mule's departure signifies the abandonment of Absalom's royal pretensions and the fleeting nature of earthly power. It underscores the futility of human efforts apart from God's will. The mule, once a symbol of his authority, now leaves him vulnerable and exposed.

and he was left hanging in midair
Being "left hanging in midair" is a powerful image of judgment and helplessness. In the biblical context, hanging between heaven and earth can symbolize being caught between life and death, blessing and curse. Absalom's suspension reflects his spiritual and moral state—disconnected from both God and man, illustrating the ultimate isolation that sin brings.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) His head caught hold of the oak.--Absalom in his flight found himself among his enemies, and sought to escape into the denser parts of the forest. As he did so his head caught between the branches of a tree, his mule went from under him, and he hung there helpless. There is nothing said to support the common idea (which seems to have originated with Josephus), that he hung by his long hair, though this may doubtless have helped to entangle his head.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Absalom met the servants of David. The verb means that he came upon them by chance. Evidently in the intricacies of the forest, Absalom. had lost his way, and, finding himself suddenly in damager of being captured by some of David's men, he urged his mule through a thicket, as the open ground was blocked by his pursuers. But in the attempt his head was jammed between the boughs of a great terebinth, and the mule, struggling onward, left him hanging in mid-air. Nothing is said about his hair having caused the accident, and apparently it was his neck which became fixed. Probably, too, he was half stunned by the blow, and choked by the pressure; and then his hair would make it very difficult for him to extricate himself. And so, after one or two efforts, in which he would be in danger of dislocating his neck, he would remain suspended to await his fate. Now, this adventure makes the whole affair perfectly plain. Absalom was riding his mule, evidently unprepared for battle. The chariot and horses, with fifty men as his body guard, used by him at Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:l), are nowhere near him. Chariots, of course, would have been useless on such rough ground, but Absalom would have had a picked body of young men round him in the battle; and mules were only for use on the march, and were sent into the rear when the fighting began. But the last thing that Absalom expected was that he should be attacked on the march. He was advancing with an army infinitely more numerous than that of David, and assumed that David would wait at Mahanaim, and, if he fought at all, would fight under its walls. His defeat he regarded as certain, and then the vain glorious prince and all Israel would drag the city into the nearest ravine. In this over confidence he was riding in advance of his army, which was struggling on over most difficult ground. For "rising as the country does suddenly from the deep valley of the Jordan, it is naturally along its whole western border deeply furrowed by the many streams which drain the district; and our ride," says Canon Tristram, "was up and down concealed glens, which we only perceived when on their brink, and mounting from which on the other side, a short canter soon brought us to the edge of the next" (Tristram, p. 462). Struggling along over such ground, Absalom's men were not merely tired and weary, but had lost all order, and "become a scattering," and probably Absalom had cantered on in order to find some suitable spot for reforming them. Suddenly he sees at a little distance before him one of the three detachments of David's army, which had marched out a few miles from Mahanaim, and posted themselves on some fit spot to attack the rebels on their march. Apparently they caught no glimpse of him, but he immediately became aware of the tactics of the king's generals, and discerned the extreme danger of his position. Everything depended upon celerity. If he could warn his men, the foremost would halt until the others came up, and a sufficient force be gathered to resist Joab's onslaught. There was no cowardice on his part, but simply the discharge of his duty as a general. He turns his mule round, and dashes away in order to halt and form his men, keeping to the wood that he may not be seen. In his great haste he is not careful in picking his route, and possibly his mule was stubborn, and swerved; and so, in attempting to force his way through the thicket, he is stunned by a blow from a branch of a terebinth tree, and so entangled in its boughs that he cannot free himself; and as none of David's men had seen him, he might have hung there to be the prey of the vultures, and only his riderless mule have been left to bear witness to his having met with some disaster. Meanwhile his followers struggle on, until they come upon David's men, who put them to the sword. There is no battle, but the three divisions, advancing in order, make merciless slaughter of their opponents. For some time Absalom's forces, extended over many miles of march, do not even learn what is going on in their front, and twenty thousand men had fallen before, becoming aware of their defeat, they fly in wild confusion, to lose more men in their panic than had fallen in fighting. Their loss would even have been greater had not Joab stopped the pursuit upon Absalom's death. But where was Amasa, and what was he doing? He had led his troops miserably, had taken no precautions against surprise, and did nothing to rally them. Had Absalom got back in safety to the van, he might have saved his men from so disastrous a defeat; but Amasa, doubtless a brave soldier, proved himself quite incompetent to the duties of a commander-in-chief, and no match for the sagacious Joab.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Now Absalom
אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

was riding
רֹכֵ֣ב (rō·ḵêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7392: To ride, to place upon, to despatch

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his mule
הַפֶּ֗רֶד (hap·pe·reḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6505: A mule

when he
וְאַבְשָׁל֞וֹם (wə·’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

met
וַיִּקָּרֵא֙ (way·yiq·qā·rê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7122: To encounter, befall

the servants
עַבְדֵ֣י (‘aḇ·ḏê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

of David,
דָוִ֑ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and as the mule
הַפֶּ֡רֶד (hap·pe·reḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6505: A mule

went
וַיָּבֹ֣א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

under
תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the tangled branches
שׂוֹבֶךְ֩ (śō·w·ḇeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7730: A thicket, interlaced branches

of a large
הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה (hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

oak,
הָאֵלָ֨ה (hā·’ê·lāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 424: An oak, other strong tree

Absalom’s head
רֹאשׁ֣וֹ (rō·šōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

was caught fast
וַיֶּחֱזַ֧ק (way·ye·ḥĕ·zaq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

in the tree.
בָאֵלָ֗ה (ḇā·’ê·lāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 424: An oak, other strong tree

The mule
וְהַפֶּ֥רֶד (wə·hap·pe·reḏ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6505: A mule

under him
תַּחְתָּ֖יו (taḥ·tāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

kept going,
עָבָֽר׃ (‘ā·ḇār)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

so that he was suspended
וַיֻּתַּן֙ (way·yut·tan)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - QalPass - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

in midair.
בֵּ֤ין (bên)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

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OT History: 2 Samuel 18:9 Absalom happened to meet the servants (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)