The place of battle was a wood near the Jordan, in which the great numbers of Absalom's army were only a disadvantage to him. Among the thickets and marshes of the forest these undisciplined troops became confused and unmanageable. And "the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men." Absalom, seeing that the day was lost, had turned to flee, when his head was caught between the branches of a widespreading tree, and his mule going out from under him, he was left helplessly suspended, a prey to his enemies. In this condition he was found by a soldier, who, for fear of displeasing the king, spared Absalom, but reported to Joab what he had seen. Joab was restrained by no scruples. He had befriended Absalom, having twice secured his reconciliation with David, and the trust had been shamelessly betrayed. But for the advantages gained by Absalom through Joab's intercession, this rebellion, with all its horrors, could never have occurred. Now it was in Joab's power 744 at one blow to destroy the instigator of all this evil. "And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom. . . . And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him."

Slaget kom til at stå i en skov i nærheden af Jordan, og i dette terræn var det snarere en ulempe end en fordel for Absalom, at hans hær var så stor. Hans udisciplinerede soldater mistede orienteringsevnen og var vanskelige at kommandere i det tætbevoksede og mosede terræn. "Her blev Israels hær slået af Davids folk, og der fandt et stort mandefald sted den dag; der faldt 20.000 mand." Da Absalom så, at slaget var tabt, tog han flugten, men hans hoved blev hængende mellem grenene på et stort træ. Mens han hang hjælpeløs her som et bytte for sine fjender, løb hans muldyr bort under ham. I denne stilling blev han opdaget af en soldat. Denne sparede dog hans liv for ikke at mishage kongen, men meldte Joab, hvad han havde set. Joab havde ingen skrupler. Han havde været Absaloms ven og havde forsonet ham med hans fader to gange uden at få andet end utak for det. Oprøret med alle dets rædsler ville simpelthen have været umuligt uden de store fordele, som Absalom havde opnået ved Joabs hjælp. Nu kunne Joab med eet slag gøre det af med ophavsmanden til alle ulykkerne. "Dermed greb han tre spyd og stødte dem i brystet på Absalom. ..... Derpå tog de og kastede Absalom i en stor grube i skoven og ophobede en mægtig stendynge over ham."