He at once set about trying to seize the kingdom for himself!
He sat in the gate of the city and told the people who passed in and out, that if he were king he would see that every grievance was righted; and he kissed the people as they came and went, and stole their hearts!
Then Absalom asked permission to go to Hebron, and he sent spies all through the land to tell every one that at the sound of the trumpet every one was to say, "Absalom is King in Hebron!"
Thus the conspiracy grew and grew; and I cannot tell you how many sorrowful and wicked things were done while Absalom tried to get the kingdom!
David was indeed at his wits' end; but he remembered that the Lord was his Refuge, and he prayed that the Lord would defeat the counsel of those who were plotting against him.
And God answered his prayer.
At length Absalom came out against his father with a large army. There was a great battle: but the people begged David not to go to the battle himself, but to let them fight for him, and for the kingdom.
So David sat in the gate: and as his armies passed through ready for battle, he said to Joab, and to all the captains of the host: "Deal gently with the young man, even with Absalom!" And the people heard him.
So the soldiers went forth into the country, and by and by the battle was chiefly fought in a large wood, where many of Absalom's army were killed.
As Absalom was riding quickly in the wood to escape from the soldiers, he went under an overhanging tree in his haste, and his head caught in the boughs and he could not extricate himself. The mule went on and he was left hanging there.