2 Samuel 18

1And DavidH1732 marshalled 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 to the peopleH5971, I will surely goH3318 forthH3318 with you myself alsoH1571. 3But the peopleH5971 saidH559, Thou shalt not goH3318 forthH3318, for if we should in any case fleeH5127, they will not care for us; neither if halfH2677 of us dieH4191, will they care for us; for thou art worth tenH6235 thousandH505 of us; and nowH6258 it is betterH2896 that thou succour us out of the cityH5892. 4And the kingH4428 saidH559 to them, I will do what is goodH3190 in your sight. And the kingH4428 stoodH5975 by the gate-side, and all the peopleH5971 cameH3381 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 AbsalomH53. And all the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 gave all the captains charge concerning AbsalomH53. 6And the peopleH5971 wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704 against IsraelH3478; and the battleH4421 wasH1961 in the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7And the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 wereH1961 routed before the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and there wasH1961 a greatH1419 slaughterH4046 there that dayH3117: twentyH6242 thousandH505 men. 8And the battleH4421 wasH1961 there scatteredH6327 over the faceH6440 of all the country; and the forestH3293 devouredH398 more peopleH5971 that dayH3117 than the swordH2719 devouredH398. 9And AbsalomH53 found himself in the presenceH6440 of David's servantsH5650. And AbsalomH53 was ridingH7392 upon a muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 under the thick boughs of the greatH1419 terebinthH424, and his headH7218 caught in the terebinthH424, and he was takenH2388 up between the heavenH8064 and the earthH776; and the muleH6505 that was under him wentH935 awayH5674. 10And a manH376 sawH7200 it, and toldH5046 JoabH3097, and saidH559, Behold, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in a terebinthH424. 11And JoabH3097 saidH559 to the manH376 that toldH5046 him, And behold, thou sawest [him], and whyH4069 didst thou not smite him there to the groundH776? and I would have givenH5414 thee tenH6235 silverH3701 pieces and a girdle. 12And the manH376 saidH559 to JoabH3097, Though I should receive a thousandH505 silverH3701 pieces in my handH3027, yet would I not put forthH7971 my handH3027 against the king's sonH1121; for in our hearing the kingH4428 charged thee and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, TakeH8104 care, whoever it be [of you], of the youngH5288 manH376 AbsalomH53. 13Or I should have actedH6213 falsely against mine ownH5315 lifeH5315, for there is no matterH1697 concealed from the kingH4428, and thou wouldest have set thyself against [me]. 14Then saidH559 JoabH3097, I may not tarry thusH3651 with thee. And he tookH3947 threeH7969 spears in his handH3709, and thrustH8628 them into Absalom's body, while he was yetH5750 aliveH2416 in the midst of the terebinthH424. 15And tenH6235 youngH5288 menH5288 that boreH5375 Joab's armour surroundedH5437 and smote AbsalomH53, and killed him. 16And JoabH3097 blew the trumpetH7782, and the peopleH5971 returnedH7725 from pursuingH7291 after IsraelH3478; for JoabH3097 keptH2820 backH7725 the peopleH5971. 17And they tookH3947 AbsalomH53, and castH7993 him into a greatH1419 pitH6354 in the wood, and raised a veryH3966 greatH1419 heapH1530 of stonesH68 upon him. And all IsraelH3478 fledH5127 every oneH376 to his tentH168. 18Now AbsalomH53 in his lifetime had takenH3947 and reared up for himself a monument, which is in the king's dale; for he saidH559, I have no sonH1121 to keep my nameH8034 in remembranceH2142; and he calledH7121 the monument after his own nameH8034; and it is calledH7121 unto this dayH3117, Absalom's memorial. 19And AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 saidH559, Let me runH7323, I pray, and carry the kingH4428 the newsH1319 that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemiesH341. 20And JoabH3097 saidH559 to him, Thou shalt not be a bearerH1319 of newsH1319 to-day, but thou shalt carry the newsH1319 another dayH3117; but to-day thou shalt carry no newsH1319, because the king's sonH1121 is deadH4191. 21Then saidH559 JoabH3097 to the CushiteH3569, Go, tellH5046 the kingH4428 what thou hast seenH7200. And the CushiteH3569 bowedH7812 himself to JoabH3097, and ranH7323. 22And AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 saidH559 yetH5750 againH5750 to JoabH3097, Come what may, let me, I pray thee, alsoH1571 runH7323 after the CushiteH3569. And JoabH3097 saidH559, WhyH4100 wilt thou runH7323, my sonH1121, seeing that there is no newsH1309 suited [to thee]? 23— But, come what may, let me runH7323. And he saidH559 to him, RunH7323. And AhimaazH290 ranH7323 by the wayH1870 of the plain, and outstripped the CushiteH3569. 24And DavidH1732 satH3427 between the twoH8147 gatesH8179; and the watchmanH6822 went up to the roofH1406 of the gateH8179, on to 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 newsH1309 in his mouthH6310. And he cameH1980 on and drew near. 26And the watchmanH6822 sawH7200 another manH376 runningH7323; and the watchmanH6822 calledH7121 to the porter and saidH559, Behold a manH376 runningH7323 aloneH905. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He alsoH1571 is a bearerH1319 of newsH1319. 27And the watchmanH6822 saidH559, I seeH7200 the running of the foremost like the running of AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He is a goodH2896 manH376; and comesH935 with goodH2896 newsH1309. 28And AhimaazH290 calledH7121 and saidH559 to the kingH4428, PeaceH7965! And he fell downH7812 to the earthH776 on his faceH639 before the kingH4428, and saidH559, BlessedH1288 be Jehovah thy 1GodH430, who has 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 saidH559, I sawH7200 a greatH1419 tumultH1995 when JoabH3097 sentH7971 the king's servantH5650, and me thy servantH5650; 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, Let my lord the kingH4428 receive good tidings, for Jehovah has avenged thee this dayH3117 of all them that roseH6965 up against thee. 32And the kingH4428 saidH559 to the CushiteH3569, Is it well with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53? And the CushiteH3569 saidH559, The enemiesH341 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, and all that riseH6965 against thee for evilH7451, beH1961 as that youngH5288 manH5288. 33And the king was much moved, and went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said thus: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would 2God I had died in thy stead, O Absalom, my son, my son!