2 Samuel 18:9

5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

6So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

7The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

8For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9Absalom 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.

10A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

11Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”

12The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’

13Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”