2 Samuel 18

Absalom Slain

1Then DavidH1732 1numberedH6485 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him and 2setH7760 overH5921 them commandersH8269 of thousandsH505 and commandersH8269 of hundredsH3967. 2DavidH1732 sentH7971 the peopleH5971 out, 3one thirdH7992 under the 4commandH3027 of JoabH3097, one thirdH7992 under the 5commandH3027 of AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, Joab’sH3097 brotherH251, and one thirdH7992 under the 6commandH3027 of 7IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663. And the kingH4428 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “I myselfH589 will surelyH3318 goH3318 out with you alsoH1571.” 3But the peopleH5971 saidH559, “8You should not goH3318 out; for ifH518 we indeedH5127 fleeH5127, they will not careH7760H3820 aboutH413 us; even ifH518 halfH2677 of us dieH4191, they will not careH7760H3820 aboutH413 us. But 9you are worth tenH6235 thousandH505 of us; therefore nowH6258 it is betterH2896 that you be ready to helpH5826 us from the cityH5892.” 4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to them, “WhateverH834 seemsH3190 bestH3190 to you I will doH6213.” So 10the kingH4428 stoodH5975 besideH413H3027 the gateH8179, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 wentH3318 out by hundredsH3967 and thousandsH505. 5The kingH4428 chargedH6680 JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, “Deal gentlyH328 for my sake with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53.” And 11allH3605 the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 chargedH6680 allH3605 the commandersH8269 concerningH5921H1697 AbsalomH53.

6Then the peopleH5971 wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704 againstH7122 IsraelH3478, and the battleH4421 tookH1961 placeH1961 in 12the forestH3293 of EphraimH669. 7The peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 were 13defeatedH5062 thereH8033 beforeH6440 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and the slaughterH4046 thereH8033 that dayH3117 was greatH1419, 20,000H6242H505 men. 8For the battleH4421 thereH8033 was spreadH6327 overH5921H6440 the wholeH3605 countrysideH776, and the forestH3293 devouredH398 moreH7235 peopleH5971 that dayH3117 thanH4480H834 the swordH2719 devouredH398.

9Now AbsalomH53 happened to meetH7122 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. For AbsalomH53 was ridingH7392 on his muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 underH8478 the thickH7730 branchesH7730 of a greatH1419 oakH424. And 14his headH7218 caughtH2388 fastH2388 in the oakH424, so he was 15leftH5414 hangingH5414 betweenH996 heavenH8064 and earthH776, while the muleH6505 that was underH8478 him kept goingH5674. 10When a certainH259 manH376 sawH7200 it, he toldH5046 JoabH3097 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oakH424.” 11Then JoabH3097 saidH559 to the manH376 who had toldH5046 him, “Now beholdH2009, you sawH7200 him! WhyH4069 then did you not strikeH5221 him thereH8033 to the groundH776? And I would have givenH5414 you tenH6235 pieces of silverH3701 and a beltH2290.” 12The manH376 saidH559 to JoabH3097, “Even ifH3863 I should receiveH8254 a thousandH505 pieces of silverH3701 in my handH3709, I would not putH7971 out my handH3027 againstH413 the king’sH4428 sonH1121; for 16in our hearingH241 the kingH4428 chargedH6680 you and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, ‘17ProtectH8104 for me the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53!’ 13OtherwiseH176, if I had dealtH6213 treacherouslyH8267 against his lifeH5315 (and 18there is nothingH3605H1697H3808 hiddenH3582 from the kingH4428), then you yourselfH859 would have stoodH3320 aloofH4480H5048.” 14Then JoabH3097 saidH559, “I will not 19wasteH3176 timeH3176 hereH3651 with you.” 20So he tookH3947 threeH7969 spearsH7626 in his handH3709 and thrustH8628 them through the heartH3820 of AbsalomH53 while he was yetH5750 aliveH2416 in the 21midstH3820 of the oakH424. 15And tenH6235 youngH5288 menH5288 who carriedH5375 Joab’sH3097 armorH3627 gatheredH5437 aroundH5437 and struckH5221 AbsalomH53 and killedH4191 him.

16Then 22JoabH3097 blewH8628 the trumpetH7782, and the peopleH5971 returnedH7725 from pursuingH7291 IsraelH3478, for JoabH3097 restrainedH2820 the peopleH5971. 17They tookH3947 AbsalomH53 and castH7993 him into 23a deepH1419 pitH6354 in the forestH3293 and 24erectedH5324 overH5921 him a veryH3966 greatH1419 heapH1530 of stonesH68. And 25allH3605 IsraelH3478 fledH5127, eachH376 to his tentH168. 18Now AbsalomH53 in his lifetimeH2425 had takenH3947 and 26setH5324 up for himself a pillarH4676 whichH834 is in 27the King’sH4428 ValleyH6010, for he saidH559, “28I haveH369 noH369 sonH1121 29to preserveH2142 my nameH8034.” So he namedH7121 the pillarH4676 afterH5921 his own nameH8034, and it is calledH7121 Absalom’sH53 MonumentH3027 to thisH2088 dayH3117.

David Is Grief-stricken

19Then 30AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 saidH559, “PleaseH4994 let me runH7323 and bringH1319 the kingH4428 newsH1319 31that the LordH3068 has 32freedH8199 him from the handH3027 of his enemiesH340.” 20But JoabH3097 saidH559 to him, “You are not the manH376 to carryH1309 newsH1309 thisH2088 dayH3117, but you shall carryH1319 newsH1319 anotherH312 dayH3117; however, you shall carryH1319 noH3808 newsH1319 todayH3117 becauseH3588H5921 the king’sH4428 sonH1121 is deadH4191.” 21Then JoabH3097 saidH559 to the CushiteH3569, “GoH1980, tellH5046 the kingH4428 whatH834 you have seenH7200.” So the CushiteH3569 bowedH7812 to JoabH3097 and ranH7323. 22Now AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 saidH559 onceH3254H5750 moreH3254H5750 to JoabH3097, “But whateverH4100 happensH1961, pleaseH4994 let me alsoH1571 runH7323 afterH310 the CushiteH3569.” And JoabH3097 saidH559, “WhyH4100H2088 would you runH7323, my sonH1121, since 33you will haveH369 noH369 rewardH1309 for goingH4672?” 23“But whateverH4100 happensH1961,” he said, “I will runH7323.” So he saidH559 to him, “RunH7323.” Then AhimaazH290 ranH7323 by wayH1870 of the plainH3603 and passedH5674 up the CushiteH3569.

24Now 34DavidH1732 was sittingH3427 betweenH996 the twoH8147 gatesH8179; and 35the watchmanH6822 wentH1980 up to the roofH1406 of the gateH8179 by the wallH2346, and raisedH5375 his eyesH5869 and lookedH7200, and beholdH2009, a manH376 runningH7323 by himselfH905. 25The watchmanH6822 calledH7121 and toldH5046 the kingH4428. And the kingH4428 saidH559, “IfH518 he is by himselfH905 there is good newsH1309 in his mouthH6310.” And he cameH1980 nearerH1980 and nearerH7131. 26Then the watchmanH6822 sawH7200 anotherH312 manH376 runningH7323; and the watchmanH6822 calledH7121 to the gatekeeperH7778 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, another manH376 runningH7323 by himselfH905.” And the kingH4428 saidH559, “ThisH2088 oneH2088 alsoH1571 is bringingH1319 good newsH1319.” 27The watchmanH6822 saidH559, “I 36thinkH7200 the runningH4794 of the firstH7223 oneH7223 37is like the runningH4794 of AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659.” And the kingH4428 saidH559, “38ThisH2088 is a goodH2896 manH376 and comesH935 with goodH2896 newsH1309.”

28AhimaazH290 calledH7121 and saidH559 to the kingH4428, “39All is wellH7965.” And 40he prostratedH7812 himself before the kingH4428 with his faceH639 to the groundH776. And he saidH559, “41BlessedH1288 is the LordH3068 your GodH430, whoH834 has deliveredH5462 up the menH376 whoH834 liftedH5375 their handsH3027 against my lordH113 the kingH4428.” 29The kingH4428 saidH559, “42Is it wellH7965 with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53?” And AhimaazH290 answeredH559, “When JoabH3097 sentH7971 the king’sH4428 servantH5650, and your servantH5650, I sawH7200 a greatH1419 tumultH1995, but 43I did not knowH3045 whatH4100 it was.” 30Then the kingH4428 saidH559, “TurnH5437 asideH5437 and standH3320 hereH3541.” So he turnedH5437 asideH5437 and stoodH5975 stillH5975.

31BeholdH2009, the CushiteH3569 arrivedH935, and the CushiteH3569 saidH559, “Let my lordH113 the kingH4428 receiveH1319 good newsH1319, for 44the LordH3068 has 45freedH8199 you this dayH3117 from the handH3027 of allH3605 those who roseH6965 up againstH5921 you.” 32Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to the CushiteH3569, “46Is it wellH7965 with the youngH5288 manH5288 AbsalomH53?” And the CushiteH3569 answeredH559, “47Let the enemiesH340 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, and allH3605 whoH834 riseH6965 up againstH5921 you for evilH7463, be as that youngH5288 manH5288!”

3348The kingH4428 was deeplyH7264 movedH7264 and wentH5927 up to the chamberH5944 overH5944 the gateH8179 and weptH1058. And thusH3541 he saidH559 as he walkedH1980, “49O my sonH1121 AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121 AbsalomH53! 50WouldH4310H5414 I had diedH4191 insteadH8478 of you, O AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121!”