18
1 David
counted the people
who were with
him, and set
captains of thousands
and captains of
hundreds over them.
2 David
sent the people
out, a third
part under the
hand of Joab,
and a third
part under the
hand of Abishai
the son of
Zeruiah, Joab’s brother,
and a third
part under the
hand of Ittai the
Gittite. The king
said to the
people, “I will
also surely go
out with you
myself.”
3 But
the people said,
“You shall not
go out, for
if we flee
away, they will
not care for
us, neither if
half of us
die, will they
care for us.
But you are
worth ten thousand
of us. Therefore
now it is
better that you
are ready to
help us out
of the city.”
4 The
king said to them,
“I will do
what seems best
to you.”
The king stood
beside the gate,
and all the
people went out
by hundreds and
by thousands.
5 The
king commanded
Joab and Abishai
and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently
for my sake
with the young
man Absalom.” All
the people heard
when the king
commanded all the
captains concerning Absalom.
6 So
the people went
out into the
field against
Israel; and the
battle was in
the forest
of Ephraim.
7 The
people of Israel
were struck there
before David’s
servants, and
there was a
great slaughter
there that day
of twenty thousand
men.
8 For
the battle was
there spread over
the surface of
all the country,
and the
forest devoured more
people that day
than the
sword devoured.
9 Absalom
happened to meet
David’s servants. Absalom
was riding on
his mule, and
the mule went
under the thick
boughs of a
great oak; and his
head caught hold
of the oak, and
he was hanging
between the sky
and earth; and
the mule that
was under him
went on.
10 A certain
man saw it,
and told Joab,
and said, “Behold,
I saw Absalom
hanging in an oak.”
11 Joab said
to the man
who told him, “Behold, you saw it,
and why didn’t you
strike him there
to the ground?
I would have given
you ten pieces of
silver and a sash.”
12 The
man said to Joab,
“Though I should
receive a thousand pieces
of silver in
my hand, I
still wouldn’t stretch
out my hand
against the king’s
son; for in
our hearing the
king commanded you
and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware
that no one touch
the young
man Absalom.’
13 Otherwise,
if I had dealt
falsely against
his life (and
there is no
matter hidden from
the king), then
you yourself would
have set yourself
against me.”
14 Then
Joab said, “I’m
not going to wait
like this with
you.” He took
three darts in
his hand and
thrust them
through Absalom’s heart
while he was
still alive in
the middle of
the oak.
15 Ten
young men who
bore Joab’s armor
surrounded and
struck Absalom, and
killed him.
16 Joab
blew the trumpet,
and the people
returned from
pursuing after
Israel; for Joab
held the people
back.
17 They
took Absalom and
cast him into
a great pit
in the forest,
and raised over
him a very
great heap
of stones. Then
all Israel fled,
each to his own
tent.
18 Now Absalom
in his lifetime
had taken
and reared up for
himself the pillar
which is in
the king’s valley,
for he said, “I
have no son
to keep my
name in memory.”
He called the
pillar after his
own name. It
is called Absalom’s
monument, to this
day.
19 Then Ahimaaz
the son of
Zadok said, “Let
me now run
and carry the
king news, how
the LORD has
avenged him of
his enemies.”
20 Joab said
to him, “You
must not be
the bearer of
news today, but
you must carry
news another day.
But today you
must carry no
news, because the
king’s son is
dead.”
21 Then
Joab said to the
Cushite, “Go, tell
the king what
you have seen!”
The Cushite bowed
himself to Joab,
and ran.
22 Then Ahimaaz
the son of
Zadok said yet
again to Joab, “But
come what may,
please let me
also run after
the Cushite.”
Joab said, “Why
do you want
to run, my
son, since you
will have no
reward for the
news?”
23 “But
come what may,”
he said, “I will
run.”
He said to him,
“Run!” Then Ahimaaz
ran by the
way of the
Plain, and outran
the Cushite.
24 Now
David was sitting
between the two
gates; and the
watchman went up
to the roof
of the gate
to the wall,
and lifted up
his eyes and
looked, and,
behold, a man
running alone.
25 The
watchman shouted
and told the
king. The king
said, “If he
is alone, there is
news in his
mouth.” He
came closer and closer.
26 The
watchman saw
another man
running; and the
watchman called to
the gatekeeper and
said, “Behold, a
man running alone!”
The king said, “He
also brings news.”
27 The
watchman said, “I
think the running
of the first
one is like
the running
of Ahimaaz the son
of Zadok.”
The king said, “He
is a good
man, and comes
with good news.”
28 Ahimaaz
called, and said
to the king, “All
is well.” He
bowed himself
before the king
with his face to
the earth, and
said, “Blessed is
the LORD your
God, who has
delivered up the
men who lifted
up their hand
against my lord
the king!”
29 The
king said, “Is it
well with the
young man Absalom?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab
sent the king’s
servant, even me
your servant, I
saw a great
tumult, but I don’t
know what it
was.”
30 The
king said, “Come
and stand here.”
He came and
stood still.
31 Behold,
the Cushite came.
The Cushite said, “Good
news for my
lord the king,
for the LORD
has avenged you
today of all
those who rose
up against you.”
32 The
king said to the
Cushite, “Is it
well with the
young man Absalom?”
The Cushite answered, “May
the enemies of
my lord the king,
and all who
rise up against
you to do
you harm, be
as that young
man is.”
33 The king was much moved, and
went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My
son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”