-
And David
numbered the people that were with him, and set
captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds
over them.
02 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.
03 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.
04 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.
05 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.
06 So the people went out into the field against
Israel: and the battle was in the wood of
Ephraim;
07 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.
08 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.
09 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.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and
said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour
compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people
returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab
held back the people.
17 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.
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18 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.
19 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.
20 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.
21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what
thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto
Joab, and ran.
22 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?
23 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.
24 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.
25 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.
26 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.
27 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.
28 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.
29 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.
30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and
stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31 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.
32 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.
33 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!
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