2 Samuel 18

1David mustered the people who were with him and appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

2David sent out the people in three divisions—a third under Joab, a third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, "I myself will go out with you too."

3The people said, "You must not go out, for if we flee they will not be concerned for us; nor if half of us die will they be concerned for us, because now you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you aid us from the city."

4The king said to them, "Whatever seems right in your eyes, I will do." The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake." All the people heard when the king charged all the captains concerning the matter of Absalom.

6The people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7There the people of Israel were defeated before David's servants, and there was a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand.

8There the battle dispersed across all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword did.

9Absalom came face to face with David's servants as he rode his mule. The mule passed beneath the thick branches of a great terebinth, his head caught fast in the terebinth, leaving him suspended between sky and ground while the mule under him went on.

10One man saw it, told Joab, and said, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."

11Joab said to the man who told him, "Look, you saw him—why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt."

12The man said to Joab, "Even if a thousand pieces of silver were weighed into my hands, I would not lift a hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Take care that no one touches the young man Absalom.'"

13Otherwise, if I had acted deceitfully against his life, endangering my own—no matter is hidden from the king—you yourself would have stood against me.

14Joab said, "I will not wait like this before you." He took three rods in his hand and thrust them into Absalom's heart while he was still alive in the heart of the oak.

15Ten young men bearing Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

16Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, because Joab restrained the people.

17They seized Absalom and hurled him into the great pit in the forest, then set up over him a very large heap of stones, and all Israel fled, every man to his tent.

18During his lifetime Absalom took and erected a pillar for himself, the one in the king's valley, because he said, "I have no son to preserve my name." He called the pillar after his own name, and to this day it is called Absalom's Hand.

19Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me now run and announce to the king that Yahweh has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies."

20Joab said to him, "You're no man for good news today, but you will proclaim good news another day; today, however, you will proclaim none, because concerning the king's son he is dead."

21Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

22Ahimaaz son of Zadok spoke up again to Joab, "Be it what it may, please let me also run after the Cushite." Joab said, "Why this running, my son, when no reward for tidings awaits you?"

23No matter what, I will run, he said. He told him, Run! Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

24David sat between the two gates as the lookout went up to the roof of the gate toward the wall, raised his eyes, looked—and there was a man running alone.

25The watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, "If he is alone, tidings are in his mouth." He walked on, drawing nearer.

26The watchman saw another man running, called to the gatekeeper, and said, "Look, a man running alone!" The king said, "This one also brings news."

27The watchman said, "I see the first one's running—like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "This man is good, and comes with good news."

28Ahimaaz called to the king and said, "Peace." He bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Blessed is Yahweh your God, who handed over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king."

29The king said, "Is the lad Absalom well?" Ahimaaz said, "I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the king's servant and your servant, but I did not know what."

30The king said, "Step aside and stand here." He stepped aside and stood still.

31And look, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, "Good news, my lord the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today from the hand of all those rising up against you."

32The king said to the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom well?" The Cushite said, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise against you to harm you be like that young man."

33The king shuddered and climbed to the upper room over the gate and wept, and as he went he said thus: "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! Who will grant that I had died instead of you, Absalom my son, my son!"