1 And David|strong="H1732" numbered|strong="H6485" the people|strong="H5971" that were with him, and set|strong="H7760" captains|strong="H8269" of thousands|strong="H0505" and captains|strong="H8269" of hundreds|strong="H3967" over them.
2 And David|strong="H1732" sent forth|strong="H7971" a third part|strong="H7992" of the people|strong="H5971" under the hand|strong="H3027" of Joab|strong="H3097", and a third part|strong="H7992" under the hand|strong="H3027" of Abishai|strong="H0052" the son|strong="H1121" of Zeruiah|strong="H6870", Joab’s|strong="H3097" brother|strong="H0251", and a third part|strong="H7992" under the hand|strong="H3027" of Ittai|strong="H0863" the Gittite|strong="H1663". And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto the people|strong="H5971", I will surely|strong="H3318" go forth|strong="H3318" with you myself|strong="H0589" also.
3 But the people|strong="H5971" answered|strong="H0559", Thou shalt not go forth|strong="H3318": for if we flee|strong="H5127" away|strong="H5127", they will not care|strong="H7760" for us; neither if half|strong="H2677" of us die|strong="H4191", will they care|strong="H7760" for us: but now thou art worth|strong="H3644" ten|strong="H6235" thousand|strong="H0505" of us: therefore now it is better|strong="H2896" that thou succour|strong="H5826" us out of the city|strong="H5892".
4 And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto them, What seemeth|strong="H5869" you best|strong="H3190" I will do|strong="H6213". And the king|strong="H4428" stood|strong="H5975" by the gate|strong="H8179" side|strong="H3027", and all the people|strong="H5971" came out|strong="H3318" by hundreds|strong="H3967" and by thousands|strong="H0505".
5 And the king|strong="H4428" commanded|strong="H6680" Joab|strong="H3097" and Abishai|strong="H0052" and Ittai|strong="H0863", saying|strong="H0559", Deal gently|strong="H0328" for my sake with the young man|strong="H5288", even with Absalom|strong="H0053". And all the people|strong="H5971" heard|strong="H8085" when the king|strong="H4428" gave all the captains|strong="H8269" charge|strong="H6680" concerning|strong="H1697" Absalom|strong="H0053".
6 So the people|strong="H5971" went out|strong="H3318" into the field|strong="H7704" against|strong="H7125" Israel|strong="H3478": and the battle|strong="H4421" was in the wood|strong="H3293" of Ephraim|strong="H0669";
7 Where the people|strong="H5971" of Israel|strong="H3478" were slain|strong="H5062" before|strong="H6440" the servants|strong="H5650" of David|strong="H1732", and there was there a great|strong="H1419" slaughter|strong="H4046" that day|strong="H3117" of twenty|strong="H6242" thousand|strong="H0505" men.
8 For the battle|strong="H4421" was there scattered|strong="H6327" over the face|strong="H6440" of all the country|strong="H0776": and the wood|strong="H3293" devoured|strong="H0398" more|strong="H7235" people|strong="H5971" that day|strong="H3117" than the sword|strong="H2719" devoured|strong="H0398".
9 And Absalom|strong="H0053" met|strong="H7122" the servants|strong="H6440" of David|strong="H1732". And Absalom|strong="H0053" rode|strong="H7392" upon a mule|strong="H6505", and the mule|strong="H6505" went|strong="H0935" under the thick boughs|strong="H7730" of a great|strong="H1419" oak|strong="H0424", and his head|strong="H7218" caught hold|strong="H2388" of the oak|strong="H0424", and he was taken up|strong="H5414" between the heaven|strong="H8064" and the earth|strong="H0776"; and the mule|strong="H6505" that was under him went away|strong="H5674".
10 And a certain|strong="H0259" man|strong="H0376" saw|strong="H7200" it, and told|strong="H5046" Joab|strong="H3097", and said|strong="H0559", Behold, I saw|strong="H7200" Absalom|strong="H0053" hanged|strong="H8518" in an oak|strong="H0424".
11 And Joab|strong="H3097" said|strong="H0559" unto the man|strong="H0376" that told|strong="H5046" him, And, behold, thou sawest|strong="H7200" him, and why didst thou not smite|strong="H5221" him there to the ground|strong="H0776"? and I would have given|strong="H5414" thee ten|strong="H6235" shekels of silver|strong="H3701", and a|strong="H0259" girdle|strong="H2290".
12 And the man|strong="H0376" said|strong="H0559" unto Joab|strong="H3097", Though|strong="H3863" I should receive|strong="H8254" a thousand|strong="H0505" shekels of silver|strong="H3701" in mine hand|strong="H3709", yet would I not put forth|strong="H7971" mine hand|strong="H3027" against the king’s|strong="H4428" son|strong="H1121": for in our hearing|strong="H0241" the king|strong="H4428" charged|strong="H6680" thee and Abishai|strong="H0052" and Ittai|strong="H0863", saying|strong="H0559", Beware|strong="H8104" that none touch the young man|strong="H5288" Absalom|strong="H0053".
13 Otherwise|strong="H0176" I should have wrought|strong="H6213" falsehood|strong="H8267" against mine own life|strong="H5315": for there is no matter|strong="H1697" hid|strong="H3582" from the king|strong="H4428", and thou thyself wouldest have set|strong="H3320" thyself against me.
14 Then said|strong="H0559" Joab|strong="H3097", I may not tarry|strong="H3176" thus with thee|strong="H6440". And he took|strong="H3947" three|strong="H7969" darts|strong="H7626" in his hand|strong="H3709", and thrust|strong="H8628" them through the heart|strong="H3820" of Absalom|strong="H0053", while he was yet alive|strong="H2416" in the midst of the oak|strong="H0424".
15 And ten|strong="H6235" young men|strong="H5288" that bare|strong="H5375" Joab’s|strong="H3097" armour|strong="H3627" compassed about|strong="H5437" and smote|strong="H5221" Absalom|strong="H0053", and slew|strong="H4191" him.
16 And Joab|strong="H3097" blew|strong="H8628" the trumpet|strong="H7782", and the people|strong="H5971" returned|strong="H7725" from pursuing|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" Israel|strong="H3478": for Joab|strong="H3097" held back|strong="H2820" the people|strong="H5971".
17 And they took|strong="H3947" Absalom|strong="H0053", and cast|strong="H7993" him into a great|strong="H1419" pit|strong="H6354" in the wood|strong="H3293", and laid|strong="H5324" a very|strong="H3966" great|strong="H1419" heap|strong="H1530" of stones|strong="H0068" upon him: and all Israel|strong="H3478" fled|strong="H5127" every one|strong="H0376" to his tent|strong="H0168".
18 Now Absalom|strong="H0053" in his lifetime|strong="H2416" had taken|strong="H3947" and reared up|strong="H5324" for himself a pillar|strong="H4678", which is in the king’s|strong="H4428" dale|strong="H6010": for he said|strong="H0559", I have no son|strong="H1121" to keep my name|strong="H8034" in remembrance|strong="H2142": and he called|strong="H7121" the pillar|strong="H4678" after his own name|strong="H8034": and it is called|strong="H7121" unto this day|strong="H3117", Absalom’s|strong="H0053" place|strong="H3027".
19 Then said|strong="H0559" Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" the son|strong="H1121" of Zadok|strong="H6659", Let me now run|strong="H7323", and bear|strong="H1319" the king|strong="H4428" tidings|strong="H1319", how that the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* hath avenged|strong="H8199" him of his enemies|strong="H3027".
20 And Joab|strong="H3097" said|strong="H0559" unto him, Thou|strong="H0376" shalt not bear tidings|strong="H1309" this day|strong="H3117", but thou shalt bear tidings|strong="H1319" another|strong="H0312" day|strong="H3117": but this day|strong="H3117" thou shalt bear no tidings|strong="H1319", because the king’s|strong="H4428" son|strong="H1121" is dead|strong="H4191".
21 Then said|strong="H0559" Joab|strong="H3097" to Cushi|strong="H3569", Go|strong="H3212" tell|strong="H5046" the king|strong="H4428" what thou hast seen|strong="H7200". And Cushi|strong="H3569" bowed|strong="H7812" himself unto Joab|strong="H3097", and ran|strong="H7323".
22 Then said|strong="H0559" Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" the son|strong="H1121" of Zadok|strong="H6659" yet again|strong="H3254" to Joab|strong="H3097", But howsoever|strong="H4100", let me, I pray thee, also run|strong="H7323" after|strong="H0310" Cushi|strong="H3569". And Joab|strong="H3097" said|strong="H0559", Wherefore wilt thou run|strong="H7323", my son|strong="H1121", seeing that thou hast no tidings|strong="H1309" ready|strong="H4672"?
23 But howsoever, said he, let me run|strong="H7323". And he said|strong="H0559" unto him, Run|strong="H7323". Then Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" ran|strong="H7323" by the way|strong="H1870" of the plain|strong="H3603", and overran|strong="H5674" Cushi|strong="H3569".
24 And David|strong="H1732" sat|strong="H3427" between the two|strong="H8147" gates|strong="H8179": and the watchman|strong="H6822" went up|strong="H3212" to the roof|strong="H1406" over the gate|strong="H8179" unto the wall|strong="H2346", and lifted up|strong="H5375" his eyes|strong="H5869", and looked|strong="H7200", and behold a man|strong="H0376" running|strong="H7323" alone.
25 And the watchman|strong="H6822" cried|strong="H7121", and told|strong="H5046" the king|strong="H4428". And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", If he be alone, there is tidings|strong="H1309" in his mouth|strong="H6310". And he came|strong="H3212" apace|strong="H1980", and drew near|strong="H7131".
26 And the watchman|strong="H6822" saw|strong="H7200" another|strong="H0312" man|strong="H0376" running|strong="H7323": and the watchman|strong="H6822" called|strong="H7121" unto the porter|strong="H7778", and said|strong="H0559", Behold another man|strong="H0376" running|strong="H7323" alone. And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", He also bringeth tidings|strong="H1319".
27 And the watchman|strong="H6822" said|strong="H0559", Me thinketh|strong="H7200" the running|strong="H4794" of the foremost|strong="H7223" is like the running|strong="H4794" of Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" the son|strong="H1121" of Zadok|strong="H6659". And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", He is a good|strong="H2896" man|strong="H0376", and cometh|strong="H0935" with good|strong="H2896" tidings|strong="H1309".
28 And Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" called|strong="H7121", and said|strong="H0559" unto the king|strong="H4428", All is well|strong="H7965". And he fell down|strong="H7812" to the earth|strong="H0776" upon his face|strong="H0639" before the king|strong="H4428", and said|strong="H0559", Blessed|strong="H1288" be the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* thy God|strong="H0430", which hath delivered up|strong="H5462" the men|strong="H0582" that lifted up|strong="H5375" their hand|strong="H3027" against my lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428".
29 And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", Is the young man|strong="H5288" Absalom|strong="H0053" safe|strong="H7965"? And Ahimaaz|strong="H0290" answered|strong="H0559", When Joab|strong="H3097" sent|strong="H7971" the king’s|strong="H4428" servant|strong="H5650", and me thy servant|strong="H5650", I saw|strong="H7200" a great|strong="H1419" tumult|strong="H1995", but I knew|strong="H3045" not what it was.
30 And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto him, Turn aside|strong="H5437", and stand|strong="H3320" here|strong="H3541". And he turned aside|strong="H5437", and stood still|strong="H5975".
31 And, behold, Cushi|strong="H3569" came|strong="H0935"; and Cushi|strong="H3569" said|strong="H0559", Tidings|strong="H1319", my lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428": for the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* hath avenged|strong="H8199" thee this day|strong="H3117" of all them|strong="H3027" that rose up|strong="H6965" against thee.
32 And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto Cushi|strong="H3569", Is the young man|strong="H5288" Absalom|strong="H0053" safe|strong="H7965"? And Cushi|strong="H3569" answered|strong="H0559", The enemies|strong="H0341" of my lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428", and all that rise|strong="H6965" against thee to do thee hurt|strong="H7451", be as that young man|strong="H5288" is.
33 And the king|strong="H4428" was much moved|strong="H7264", and went up|strong="H5927" to the chamber|strong="H5944" over the gate|strong="H8179", and wept|strong="H1058": and as he went|strong="H3212", thus he said|strong="H0559", O my son|strong="H1121" Absalom|strong="H0053", my son|strong="H1121", my son|strong="H1121" Absalom|strong="H0053"! would God I had died|strong="H4191" for thee|strong="H5414", O Absalom|strong="H0053", my son|strong="H1121", my son|strong="H1121"!