Battle of the Wood of Ephraim Absalom." The two armies met in a forest of Ephraim. It was a great and terrible battle. The rebel forces were unable to maneuver because the thickness of trees, and their numbers were reduced by the underbrush of the forest. The forces of Absalom were thus routed by the royal forces of David. Absalom himself fled. As he was riding through the woods on his mule, he was caught by the long locks of his hair under the spreading branches of a large tree. Unable to free himself, he remained suspended, his mule had escaped. One of David's servants brought
Nathan (son of David) king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah. These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months." It then lists 4 sons of David and Bathsheba. However we know that their first son died. In 2 Samuel 11 this son is never named. It is therefore possible that he was called Shimea (or Shammua & ) but equally possible, more likely even, that this is a surviving son, although the Bible does not mention him again.