Execution is a serious affair. Throughout history, men have been killed by every way imaginable. They have been stoned to death, hanged, beheaded, drowned, burned alive, cannibalized, and other methods too gruesome for publication. The Bible records several types of deaths by various means, oddly, some deaths were deserved, some were unfortunate, and some were beyond belief.
From the first murder in Genesis to millions dying recorded in the Book of Revelation, death, whether by execution or mere serendipity has fascinated readers. The Bible records one death in particular that was like no other. The story is amazing to everyone except the unintended victim.
2 Samuel 18 gives a new twist on how hanging around can be detrimental to one’s health! As the story goes, a battle was raging in the treacherous forest of Ephraim in the Transjordan. The Bible reports that the casualties were great—twenty thousand men died! It tells us that, because of the rugged terrain of the forest, the pursuit through the forest caused more deaths than the battle sword itself! The army of Israel was defeated by David’s men. The King’s son happened to meet David’s men. He was riding a mule and as the mule went under the thick branches of an oak tree, Absalom’s head got caught in the tree! The mule he was riding kept going leaving him hanging in midair!
Some soldiers saw what happened and rreported it to their commander. The commander, Joab, went to Absalom hanging in the tree and threw three javelins into his heart. They threw Absalom in a pit in the forest and piled a heap of rocks over the grave.
Are you wondering how a man could possibly get his hair caught in a tree? Please read 2 Samuel 18 for a hair-raising explanation.
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