2 Samuel 18

1And DavidH1732 numbered the peopleH5971 that were with him, and setH7760 captains of thousandsH505 and captains of hundredsH3967 over them. 2And DavidH1732 sentH7971 forthH3318 the peopleH5971, a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of JoabH3097, and a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, Joab’s brotherH251, and a thirdH7992 part under the handH3027 of IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663. And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto the peopleH5971, I will surely goH3318 forthH3318 with you myself alsoH1571. 3But the peopleH5971 saidH559, Thou shalt not goH3318 forthH3318: for if we fleeH5127 away, they will not care for us; neither if halfH2677 of us dieH4191, will they care for us: but thou art worth tenH6235 thousandH505 of us; thereforeH6258 nowH6258 it is betterH2896 that thou beH1961 ready to succor us out of the cityH5892. 4And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto them, What seemeth you bestH3190 I will do. And the kingH4428 stoodH5975 by the gate-side, and all the peopleH5971 wentH3381 out by hundredsH3967 and by thousandsH505. 5And the kingH4428 commandedH6680 JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, Deal gently for my sake with the youngH5288 manH5288, even with AbsalomH53. And all the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 gave all the captains charge concerning AbsalomH53.

6So the peopleH5971 wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704 against IsraelH3478: and the battleH4421 wasH1961 in the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7And the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 wereH1961 smitten there before the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and there wasH1961 a greatH1419 slaughterH4046 there that dayH3117 of twentyH6242 thousandH505 men. 8For the battleH4421 wasH1961 there spread over the faceH6440 of all the country; and the forestH3293 devouredH398 more peopleH5971 that dayH3117 than the swordH2719 devouredH398.

9And AbsalomH53 chanced to meetH7122 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. And AbsalomH53 was ridingH7392 upon his muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 under the thick boughs of a greatH1419 oakH424, and his headH7218 caught holdH2388 of the oakH424, and he was takenH2388 up between heavenH8064 and earthH776; and the muleH6505 that was under him wentH935 on. 10And a certain manH376 sawH7200 it, and toldH5046 JoabH3097, and saidH559, Behold, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oakH424. 11And JoabH3097 saidH559 unto the manH376 that toldH5046 him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and whyH4069 didst thou not smite him there to the groundH776? and I would have givenH5414 thee tenH6235 pieces of silverH3701, and a girdle. 12And the manH376 saidH559 unto JoabH3097, Though I should receive a thousandH505 pieces of silverH3701 in my handH3027, yet would I not put forthH7971 my handH3027 against the king’sH4428 sonH1121: for in our hearing the kingH4428 charged thee and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, Beware that none touch the youngH5288 manH376 AbsalomH53. 13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his lifeH5315 (and there is no matterH1697 hid from the kingH4428), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14Then saidH559 JoabH3097, I may not tarry thusH3651 with thee. And he tookH3947 threeH7969 darts in his handH3709, and thrustH8628 them through the heartH3820 of AbsalomH53, while he was yetH5750 aliveH2416 in the midst of the oakH424. 15And tenH6235 youngH5288 menH5288 that bare Joab’s armorH3627 compassed about and smote AbsalomH53, and slew him.

16And JoabH3097 blew the trumpetH7782, and the peopleH5971 returnedH7725 from pursuingH7291 after IsraelH3478; for JoabH3097 held backH7725 the peopleH5971. 17And they tookH3947 AbsalomH53, and castH7993 him into the greatH1419 pitH6354 in the forestH3293, and raised over him a veryH3966 greatH1419 heapH1530 of stonesH68: and all IsraelH3478 fledH5127 every oneH376 to his tentH168. 18Now AbsalomH53 in his lifetime had takenH3947 and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’sH4428 dale; for he saidH559, I have no sonH1121 to keep my nameH8034 in remembranceH2142: and he calledH7121 the pillar after his own nameH8034; and it is calledH7121 Absalom’s monument, unto this dayH3117.

19Then saidH559 AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659, Let me now runH7323, and bearH1319 the kingH4428 tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemiesH341. 20And JoabH3097 saidH559 unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearerH1319 of tidings this dayH3117, but thou shalt bearH1319 tidings another dayH3117; but this dayH3117 thou shalt bearH1319 no tidings, because the king’sH4428 sonH1121 is deadH4191. 21Then saidH559 JoabH3097 to the CushiteH3569, Go, tellH5046 the kingH4428 what thou hast seenH7200. And the CushiteH3569 bowedH7812 himself unto JoabH3097, and ranH7323. 22Then saidH559 AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 yetH5750 againH5750 to JoabH3097, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, alsoH1571 runH7323 after the CushiteH3569. And JoabH3097 saidH559, Wherefore wilt thou runH7323, my sonH1121, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings? 23But come what may, saidH559 he, I will runH7323. And he saidH559 unto him, RunH7323. Then AhimaazH290 ranH7323 by the wayH1870 of the Plain, and outran the CushiteH3569.

24Now DavidH1732 was sittingH3427 between the twoH8147 gatesH8179: and the watchmanH6822 went up to the roofH1406 of the gateH8179 unto the wallH2346, and liftedH5375 up his eyesH5869, and lookedH7200, and, behold, a manH376 runningH7323 aloneH905. 25And the watchmanH6822 cried, and toldH5046 the kingH4428. And the kingH4428 saidH559, If he be aloneH905, there is tidings in his mouthH6310. And he cameH1980 apace, and drew near. 26And the watchmanH6822 sawH7200 another manH376 runningH7323; and the watchmanH6822 calledH7121 unto the porter, and saidH559, Behold, another manH376 runningH7323 aloneH905. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He alsoH1571 bringeth tidings. 27And the watchmanH6822 saidH559, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He is a goodH2896 manH376, and cometh with goodH2896 tidings.

28And AhimaazH290 calledH7121, and saidH559 unto the kingH4428, All is well. And he bowedH7812 himself before the kingH4428 with his faceH639 to the earthH776, and saidH559, BlessedH1288 be Jehovah thy GodH430, who hath deliveredH5462 up the menH376 that liftedH5375 up their handH3027 against my lord the kingH4428. 29And the kingH4428 saidH559, Is it well with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53? And AhimaazH290 answered, When JoabH3097 sentH7971 the king’sH4428 servantH5650, even me thy servantH5650, I sawH7200 a greatH1419 tumultH1995, but I knewH3045 not what it was. 30And the kingH4428 saidH559, TurnH5437 aside, and standH5975 here. And he turnedH5437 aside, and stoodH5975 stillH5975.

31And, behold, the CushiteH3569 cameH935; and the CushiteH3569 saidH559, Tidings for my lord the kingH4428; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this dayH3117 of all them that roseH6965 up against thee. 32And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto the CushiteH3569, Is it well with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53? And the CushiteH3569 answered, The enemiesH341 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, and all that riseH6965 up against thee to do thee hurt, beH1961 as that youngH5288 manH5288 is. 33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!