And David numbered
the people
that were with him, and set
captains
of thousands
and captains
of hundreds
over them.
And David sent forth
a third part
of the people
under the hand
of Joab
, and a third part
under the hand
of Abishai
the son
of Zeruiah
, Joab's
brother
, and a third part
under the hand
of Ittai
the Gittite
. And the king
said
unto the people
, I will surely
go forth
with you myself
also.
But the people answered
, Thou shalt not go forth
: for if we flee
away
, they will not care
for us; neither if half
of us die
, will they care
for us: but now thou art worth
ten
thousand
of us: therefore now it is better
that thou succour
us out of the city
.
And the king said
unto them, What seemeth
you best
I will do
. And the king
stood
by the gate
side
, and all the people
came out
by hundreds
and by thousands
.
And the king commanded
Joab
and Abishai
and Ittai
, saying
, Deal gently
for my sake with the young man
, even with Absalom
. And all the people
heard
when the king
gave all the captains
charge
concerning
Absalom
.
So the people went out
into the field
against
Israel
: and the battle
was in the wood
of Ephraim
;
Where the people of Israel
were slain
before
the servants
of David
, and there was there a great
slaughter
that day
of twenty
thousand
men .
For the battle was there scattered
over the face
of all the country
: and the wood
devoured
more
people
that day
than the sword
devoured
.
And Absalom met
the servants
of David
. And Absalom
rode
upon 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 heaven
and the earth
; and the mule
that was under him went away
.
And a certain man
saw
it , and told
Joab
, and said
, Behold, I saw
Absalom
hanged
in an oak
.
And Joab said
unto the man
that told
him, And, behold, thou sawest
him , and why didst thou not smite
him there to the ground
? and I would have given
thee ten
shekels of silver
, and a
girdle
.
And the man said
unto Joab
, Though
I should receive
a thousand
shekels of silver
in mine hand
, yet would I not put forth
mine hand
against the king's
son
: for in our hearing
the king
charged
thee and Abishai
and Ittai
, saying
, Beware
that none touch the young man
Absalom
.
Otherwise I should have wrought
falsehood
against mine own life
: for there is no matter
hid
from the king
, and thou thyself wouldest have set
thyself against me .
Then said Joab
, I may not tarry
thus with thee
. And he took
three
darts
in his hand
, and thrust
them through the heart
of Absalom
, while he was yet alive
in the midst of the oak
.
And ten young men
that bare
Joab's
armour
compassed about
and smote
Absalom
, and slew
him.
And Joab blew
the trumpet
, and the people
returned
from pursuing
after
Israel
: for Joab
held back
the people
.
And they took Absalom
, and cast
him into a great
pit
in the wood
, and laid
a very
great
heap
of stones
upon him: and all Israel
fled
every one
to his tent
.
Now Absalom in his lifetime
had taken
and reared up
for himself a pillar
, which is in the king's
dale
: for he said
, I have no son
to keep my name
in remembrance
: and he called
the pillar
after his own name
: and it is called
unto this day
, Absalom's
place
.
Then said Ahimaaz
the son
of Zadok
, Let me now run
, and bear
the king
tidings
, how that the LORD
hath avenged
him of his enemies
.
And Joab said
unto him, Thou
shalt not bear tidings
this day
, but thou shalt bear tidings
another
day
: but this day
thou shalt bear no tidings
, because the king's
son
is dead
.
Then said Joab
to Cushi
, Go
tell
the king
what thou hast seen
. And Cushi
bowed
himself unto Joab
, and ran
.
Then said Ahimaaz
the son
of Zadok
yet again
to Joab
, But howsoever
, let me, I pray thee, also run
after
Cushi
. And Joab
said
, Wherefore wilt thou run
, my son
, seeing that thou hast no tidings
ready
?
But howsoever, said he , let me run. And he said
unto him, Run
. Then Ahimaaz
ran
by the way
of the plain
, and overran
Cushi
.
And David sat
between the two
gates
: and the watchman
went up
to the roof
over the gate
unto the wall
, and lifted up
his eyes
, and looked
, and behold a man
running
alone.
And the watchman cried
, and told
the king
. And the king
said
, If he be alone, there is tidings
in his mouth
. And he came
apace
, and drew near
.
And the watchman saw
another
man
running
: and the watchman
called
unto the porter
, and said
, Behold another man
running
alone. And the king
said
, He also bringeth tidings
.
And the watchman said
, Me thinketh
the running
of the foremost
is like the running
of Ahimaaz
the son
of Zadok
. And the king
said
, He is a good
man
, and cometh
with good
tidings
.
And Ahimaaz called
, and said
unto the king
, All is well
. And he fell down
to the earth
upon his face
before the king
, and said
, Blessed
be the LORD
thy God
, which hath delivered up
the men
that lifted up
their hand
against my lord
the king
.
And the king said
, Is the young man
Absalom
safe
? And Ahimaaz
answered
, When Joab
sent
the king's
servant
, and me thy servant
, I saw
a great
tumult
, but I knew
not what it was .
And the king said
unto him , Turn aside
, and stand
here
. And he turned aside
, and stood still
.
And, behold, Cushi came
; and Cushi
said
, Tidings
, my lord
the king
: for the LORD
hath avenged
thee this day
of all them
that rose up
against thee.
And the king said
unto Cushi
, Is the young man
Absalom
safe
? And Cushi
answered
, The enemies
of my lord
the king
, and all that rise
against thee to do thee hurt
, be as that young man
is .
And 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 God I had died
for thee
, O Absalom
, my son
, my son
!