2 Kingdoms 18

1David considered the people with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

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2Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gathite. And David said to the people, 'I myself will surely go out with you as well.'

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3But they answered, 'You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us. Nor will they care about us if half of us die. You are worth ten thousand of us. And now it is well that you will be more help to us in the city.'

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4Then the king said to them, 'I will do whatever seems best to you.' So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

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5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'For my sake, deal gently with the young man Absalom.' And the people heard the king give orders to all the captains concerning Absalom.

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6So the people went out into the thicket against Israel. And the battle was in the thicket of Ephraim.

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7The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand men took place there that day.

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8And the battle itself was scattered over the face of all the countryside; and the thicket of woods devoured more of the people that day than did the sword.

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9Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on his mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak tree, and his head caught in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule that was under him went on.

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10Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, saying, 'I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!'

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11So Joab said to the man who told him, 'You just saw him, and did not dislodge him so he could fall to the ground? Why? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.'

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12But the man said to Joab, 'Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing, the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Protect the young man Absalom for me!

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13Do not deal with his life in a dishonorable way.' For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against him.'

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14Then Joab said, 'I will make preparation for this, and thus I will not linger with you.' Joab took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the grip of the oak tree.

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15Then ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom and struck and killed him.

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16So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab spared the people.

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17And they took Absalom and cast him into a large chasm in the thicket, into a great pit, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

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18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself in the King's Valley. For he said, 'I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.' He called the pillar Absalom's Hand, and that is what it is called to this day.

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19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, 'Let me run now and take the good news to the king, how the Lord avenged him from the hand of his enemies.'

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20And Joab said to him, 'You will be no messenger of good news today, for you shall take good news another day. But on this day you shall take no good news, on account of the king's son who is dead.'

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21Then Joab said to Hushai, 'Go, tell the king what you saw.' So the Cushite bowed to Joab and left.

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22And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, 'But whatever happens, let me run after the Cushite.' So Joab said, 'My son, why are you going to run? Come here, because you have no good news which is of use to the one going.'

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23And he said, 'What if I run?' So Joab said to him, 'Run.' Then Ahimaaz ran by way of Kechar and outran Hushai.

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24Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the top of the gate of the wall and lifted his eyes and looked out. He saw a man running by himself.

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25Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, 'If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.' And he came quickly and drew near.

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26Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called toward the gate and said, 'There is another man running alone!' And the king said, 'He also brings good news.'

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27So the watchman said, 'I think the running of the first one resembles the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.' And the king said, 'He is a good man and comes with good news.'

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28And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, 'Peace!' Then he bowed to the king with his face to the earth and said, 'Blessed be the Lord your God, who delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!'

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29The king said, 'Is the young man Absalom safe?' Ahimaaz answered, 'I saw a great multitude at the time of Joab's sending the king's servant and me your servant. I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what was happening.'

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30And the king said, 'Turn aside and stand here.' So he turned aside and stood still.

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31Just then Hushai came, and he said to the king, 'There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord avenged you today, and on all those who rose against you.'

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32And the king said to Hushai, 'Is the young man Absalom safe?' So Hushai answered, 'May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!'

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