2 Samuel 18

1And DavidH1732 numberedH6485 the peopleH5971 that were with him, and setH7760 over them captainsH8269 of thousandsH505 and captainsH8269 of hundredsH3967. 2And DavidH1732 sent forthH7971 a third partH7992 of the peopleH5971 under the handH3027 of JoabH3097, and a third partH7992 under the handH3027 of AbishaiH52 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, Joab’sH3097 brotherH251, and a third partH7992 under the handH3027 of IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663. And the kingH4428 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, I will surelyH3318 go forthH3318 with you myselfH589 also. 3But the peopleH5971 answeredH559, Thou shalt not go forthH3318: for if we fleeH5127 awayH5127, they will not careH7760H3820 for us; neither if halfH2677 of us dieH4191, will they careH7760H3820 for us: but now thou art worthH3644 tenH6235 thousandH505 of us: therefore now it is betterH2896 that thou shouldest helpH5826 us out of the cityH5892.123 4And the kingH4428 saidH559 to them, What seemethH5869 to you bestH3190 I will doH6213. And the kingH4428 stoodH5975 by the gateH8179 sideH3027, and all the peopleH5971 came outH3318 by hundredsH3967 and by thousandsH505. 5And the kingH4428 commandedH6680 JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, Deal gentlyH328 for my sake with the young manH5288, even with AbsalomH53. And all the peopleH5971 heardH8085 when the kingH4428 gave all the captainsH8269 chargeH6680 concerningH1697 AbsalomH53. 6So the peopleH5971 went outH3318 into the fieldH7704 againstH7125 IsraelH3478: and the battleH4421 was in the forestH3293 of EphraimH669; 7Where the peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 were slainH5062 beforeH6440 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, and there was there a greatH1419 slaughterH4046 that dayH3117 of twentyH6242 thousandH505 men . 8For the battleH4421 was there scatteredH6327 over the faceH6440 of all the countryH776: and the forestH3293 devouredH398 moreH7235 peopleH5971 that dayH3117 than the swordH2719 devouredH398.4

9And AbsalomH53 metH7122 the servantsH6440H5650 of DavidH1732. And AbsalomH53 rodeH7392 upon a muleH6505, and the muleH6505 wentH935 under the thick boughsH7730 of a greatH1419 oakH424, and his headH7218 caught fastH2388 in the oakH424, and he was left hangingH5414 between the heavenH8064 and the earthH776; and the muleH6505 that was under him went awayH5674. 10And a certainH259 manH376 sawH7200 it, and toldH5046 JoabH3097, and saidH559, Behold, I sawH7200 AbsalomH53 hangingH8518 in an oakH424. 11And JoabH3097 saidH559 to the manH376 that toldH5046 him, And, behold, thou sawestH7200 him, and why didst thou not smiteH5221 him there to the groundH776? and I would have givenH5414 thee tenH6235 shekels of silverH3701, and aH259 beltH2290. 12And the manH376 saidH559 to JoabH3097, ThoughH3863 I should receiveH8254 a thousandH505 shekels of silverH3701 in my handH3709, yet would I not put forthH7971 my handH3027 against the king’sH4428 sonH1121: for in our hearingH241 the kingH4428 chargedH6680 thee and AbishaiH52 and IttaiH863, sayingH559, BewareH8104 that none touch the young manH5288 AbsalomH53.56 13OtherwiseH176 I should have wroughtH6213 falsehoodH8267 against my own lifeH5315: for there is no matterH1697 hidH3582 from the kingH4428, and thou thyself wouldest have setH3320 thyself against me . 14Then saidH559 JoabH3097, I may not tarryH3176 thus with theeH6440. And he tookH3947 threeH7969 spearsH7626 in his handH3709, and thrustH8628 them through the heartH3820 of AbsalomH53, while he was yet aliveH2416 in the midst of the oakH424.78 15And tenH6235 young menH5288 that boreH5375 Joab’sH3097 armourH3627 surroundedH5437 and smoteH5221 AbsalomH53, and slewH4191 him. 16And JoabH3097 blewH8628 the trumpetH7782, and the peopleH5971 returnedH7725 from pursuingH7291H310 IsraelH3478: for JoabH3097 restrainedH2820 the peopleH5971. 17And they tookH3947 AbsalomH53, and castH7993 him into a greatH1419 pitH6354 in the forestH3293, and laidH5324 a veryH3966 greatH1419 heapH1530 of stonesH68 upon him: and all IsraelH3478 fledH5127 every oneH376 to his tentH168. 18Now AbsalomH53 in his lifetimeH2416 had takenH3947 and builtH5324 for himself a pillarH4678, which is in the king’sH4428 daleH6010: for he saidH559, I have no sonH1121 to keep my nameH8034 in remembranceH2142: and he calledH7121 the pillarH4678 after his own nameH8034: and it is calledH7121 to this dayH3117, Absalom’sH53 placeH3027.

19Then saidH559 AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659, Let me now runH7323, and informH1319 the kingH4428, how the LORDH3068 hath avengedH8199 himself of his enemiesH3027H341.9 20And JoabH3097 saidH559 to him, ThouH376 shalt not bear tidingsH1309 this dayH3117, but thou shalt bear tidingsH1319 anotherH312 dayH3117: but this dayH3117 thou shalt bear no tidingsH1319, because the king’sH4428 sonH1121 is deadH4191.10 21Then saidH559 JoabH3097 to CushiH3569, GoH3212 tellH5046 the kingH4428 what thou hast seenH7200. And CushiH3569 bowedH7812 himself to JoabH3097, and ranH7323. 22Then saidH559 AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659 yet againH3254 to JoabH3097, But howeverH4100, let me also, I pray thee, runH7323 afterH310 CushiH3569. And JoabH3097 saidH559, Why wilt thou runH7323, my sonH1121, seeing that thou hast no tidingsH1309 readyH4672?1112 23But however, said he, let me runH7323. And he saidH559 to him, RunH7323. Then AhimaazH290 ranH7323 by the wayH1870 of the plainH3603, and outranH5674 CushiH3569. 24And DavidH1732 satH3427 between the twoH8147 gatesH8179: and the watchmanH6822 went upH3212 to the roofH1406 over the gateH8179 to the wallH2346, and lifted upH5375 his eyesH5869, and lookedH7200, and behold a manH376 runningH7323 alone. 25And the watchmanH6822 calledH7121, and toldH5046 the kingH4428. And the kingH4428 saidH559, If he is alone, there is tidingsH1309 in his mouthH6310. And he cameH3212 apaceH1980, and drew nearH7131. 26And the watchmanH6822 sawH7200 anotherH312 manH376 runningH7323: and the watchmanH6822 calledH7121 to the porterH7778, and saidH559, Behold another manH376 runningH7323 alone. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He also bringeth tidingsH1319. 27And the watchmanH6822 saidH559, I thinkH7200 the runningH4794 of the foremostH7223 is like the runningH4794 of AhimaazH290 the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659. And the kingH4428 saidH559, He is a goodH2896 manH376, and comethH935 with goodH2896 newsH1309.13 28And AhimaazH290 calledH7121, and saidH559 to the kingH4428, All is wellH7965. And he fell downH7812 to the earthH776 upon his faceH639 before the kingH4428, and saidH559, BlessedH1288 be the LORDH3068 thy GodH430, who hath delivered upH5462 the menH582 that raisedH5375 their handH3027 against my lordH113 the kingH4428.1415 29And the kingH4428 saidH559, Is the young manH5288 AbsalomH53 safeH7965? And AhimaazH290 answeredH559, When JoabH3097 sentH7971 the king’sH4428 servantH5650, and me thy servantH5650, I sawH7200 a greatH1419 tumultH1995, but I knewH3045 not what it was .16 30And the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, Turn asideH5437, and standH3320 hereH3541. And he turned asideH5437, and stood stillH5975. 31And, behold, CushiH3569 cameH935; and CushiH3569 saidH559, TidingsH1319, my lordH113 the kingH4428: for the LORDH3068 hath avengedH8199 thee this dayH3117 of all themH3027 that rose upH6965 against thee.17 32And the kingH4428 saidH559 to CushiH3569, Is the young manH5288 AbsalomH53 safeH7965? And CushiH3569 answeredH559, May the enemiesH341 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, and all that riseH6965 against thee to do thee harmH7451, be as that young manH5288 is . 33And the kingH4428 was much movedH7264, and went upH5927 to the chamberH5944 over the gateH8179, and weptH1058: and as he wentH3212, thus he saidH559, O my sonH1121 AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121 AbsalomH53! O that I had diedH4191 for theeH5414, O AbsalomH53, my sonH1121, my sonH1121!