שמואל ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק י׳

In the chaos of battle, a dramatic turning point emerges when Absalom is found helpless and hanging from a tree. A passing soldier, one of King David's servants who happens upon the scene by chance [אברבנאל], brings the news to the army commander, Joab.

This simple report immediately ignites a sharp moral and military clash. Joab harshly rebukes the soldier for failing to strike Absalom down on the spot, claiming he would have rewarded such an act with great wealth. Yet, the soldier stands firm in his refusal to harm Absalom, even for a vast fortune, driven by several compelling reasons [אברבנאל]. First and foremost, harming the king's son is a severe offense. Beyond the general law, the soldier had personally heard King David's explicit command to the troops to ensure the young man's safety.

Anticipating that Joab might suggest killing Absalom in secret to keep the act hidden from the king, the soldier counters with two additional arguments [אברבנאל]. On a moral level, he refuses to compromise his integrity or rebel against the king in the shadows, recognizing that an act forbidden in the light of day remains equally forbidden behind closed doors. On a practical level, the soldier knows that nothing remains hidden from King David. The truth would inevitably surface, leading to the soldier's execution. Should that happen, he is fully aware that Joab would simply stand by and do nothing to save him.

Finally, the soldier turns the critique back on his commander. He makes it clear that if Joab truly wishes to see Absalom dead, he must take the responsibility to go and strike him down himself, rather than expecting a subordinate to carry out the deed on his behalf.