2S 18:1Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2S 18:2And David sent the people out, a third under the hand of Joab and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I myself will surely go forth with you also.
2S 18:3But the people said, You shall not go forth; for if we flee off, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better for you to be available to help us from the city.
2S 18:4And the king said to them, What seems best in your sight I will do. So the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went forth by hundreds and by thousands.
2S 18:5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave the command to all the captains concerning Absalom.
2S 18:6And the people went forth into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
2S 18:7And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand there on that day.
2S 18:8And the battle was spread there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
2S 18:9And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David, and Absalom was riding upon his mule. And the mule went under the tangled branches of a great terebinth; and his head was caught in the terebinth, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth while the mule that was under him went on.
2S 18:10And a certain man saw this; and he told Joab and said, I have just seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
2S 18:11And Joab said to the man who told him this, And you have just seen this. Why did you not strike him down to the ground there? For I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.
2S 18:12And the man said to Joab, Though I would receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put forth my hand against the son of the king; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care of the young man Absalom, whoever you be.
2S 18:13On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously with his life (there is nothing hidden from the king), you would have set yourself against me.
2S 18:14Then Joab said, I will not linger here with you. And he took three staves in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth.
2S 18:15And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom and struck him, and they killed him.
2S 18:16And Joab blew the trumpet; and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab restrained the people.
2S 18:17And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and they cast up over him a very great mound of stones. And all Israel fled, every man to his tent.
2S 18:18Now Absalom, while he was alive, had taken a pillar which was in the king’s valley and raised it up for himself, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
2S 18:19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run and announce the news to the king, that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.
2S 18:20And Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of the news this day, but you shall announce the news on another day; yet on this day you shall not announce the news, for the king’s son is dead.
2S 18:21And Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.
2S 18:22Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?
2S 18:23But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.
2S 18:24Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up on the roof of the gate to the wall; and lifted up his eyes and looked, and there came a man running alone.
2S 18:25And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he continued coming and drew near.
2S 18:26Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, Here comes a man running alone. And the king said, This one also brings news.
2S 18:27And the watchman said, I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man and comes with good news.
2S 18:28And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, All is well; and he bowed down to the king on his face to the ground. And he said, Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delivered up the men who have lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
2S 18:29And the king said, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.
2S 18:30And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside and stood there.
2S 18:31Just then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Good news for my lord the king, for today Jehovah has avenged you of all who have risen up against you.
2S 18:32And the king said to the Cushite, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite said, May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man!
2S 18:33And the king was badly shaken, and he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he spoke thus, O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!
© 2016 Living Stream Ministry
All rights reserved.