 1 David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 David sent forth a third of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And th king said to the people, I will also surely go forth with you myself. 3 But the people answered, you must not go. For if we run away, they will not set their hearts on us, even if half of us die. For you are worth 10,000 of us. Now it is better that you remain to help us from the city. 4 The king said to them, I will do what is good in your eyes. And the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying, For my sake be gentle with the young man, with Absalom. Then all the people heard the king give all the commanders charge concerning Absalom. 6 Then the people went into the field against Israel and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were killed there before the servants of David and there was a great slaughter of 20,000 that day. 8 For the battle was scattered there over the face of all the country. And the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak. And his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heavens and the earth. And the mule under him went away. 10 A certain man saw and told Joab and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 Joab said to the man who told him, And, behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt+. 12 The man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silverlings in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son. For in our ears the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai saying, Beware you who go against the young man, against Absalom. 13 Or I would have dealt falsely with my own life. For there is no matter hidden from the king and you yourself would have set yourself against me. 14 Joab said, I cannot stay here with you this way. And he took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the oak. 15 Ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him. 16 Joab blew the ram's horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17 They took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and they laid a great heap of stones on him. Then all Israel fled, each one to his tent. 18 Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar that is in the king's valley. For he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his own name and it is called until this day, Absalom's monument. 19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me run and bear the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies. 20 Joab said to him, you shall not bring news today, but you shall bring good news some other day. But today you shall bring no news because the king's son is dead. 21 Joab said to Cushi, Go tell the king what you have seen. And Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran. 22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, Yet whatever, please let me also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, since you have no good news ready? 23 But he said, Yet whatever, let me run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and ran past the Cushite. 24 David sat between the two gates and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall and lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, a man ran alone. 25 The watchman told the king, and the king said, If he is alone, then he has news. Then he came quickly+ and drew near. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the porter and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also brings news. 27 The watchman said, I see the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news. 28 Ahimaaz called and said to the king, Peace. And he fell down upon his face before the king and said, Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 The king said, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and your servant, I saw a great uproar, but I did not know what it was. 30 The king said, Turn aside, stand here. And he turned aside and stood still. 31 Behold, Cushi came. And Cushi said, Good news, my lord the king, for the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you. 32 The king said to Cushi, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And Cushi answered, May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do you hurt, be as the young man. 33 The king was much moved and went to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom. Would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son.
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