2 Samuel 18

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

2David sent out the troops: one third under Joab, one third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I myself will surely go out with you.”

3But the people said, “You must not go out, for if we flee, they will not pay attention to us; and if half of us die, they will not pay attention to us. For you are worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.”

4The king said to them, “What seems good in your eyes, I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

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 commanded all the commanders concerning Absalom.

6So the troops went out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7There the people of Israel were defeated before the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day: twenty thousand men.

8The battle spread there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more of the people that day than the sword devoured.

9Absalom happened to come before David’s servants while Absalom was riding on the mule. The mule went under the thick branches of a large terebinth, and his head got caught in the terebinth, so that he was left hanging between heaven and earth while the mule that was under him passed on.

10One man saw it and told Joab, and said, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging in the terebinth tree.”

11Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Look, you saw him; why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have been obliged to give you ten pieces of silver and one belt.”

12But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were weighing out a thousand pieces of silver on my palms, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Guard for me the young man Absalom.’”

13Or if I had dealt falsely against his life, and no matter is hidden from the king, then you yourself would have stood aside.

14Joab said, “Not so; I will not wait before you.” Then he took three spears in his hand and drove them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the terebinth.

15Then ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

16Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, because Joab restrained the people.

17And they took Absalom and threw him into the great pit in the forest, and they set up over him a very large heap of stones. And all Israel fled, each man to his tent.

18Absalom had taken and set up for himself in his lifetime the pillar that is in the Valley of the King, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” So he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring news to the king, for Yahweh has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”

20Joab said to him, “You are not a bearer of news today. You may carry news on another day, but today you must not carry news, because the king’s son is dead.”

21Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed down to Joab and ran.

22Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since you have no message that will bring reward?”

23But he said, “Whatever happens, let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

24David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was running alone.

25Then the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself, there is news in his mouth.” And he kept coming nearer and nearer.

26Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look, a man is running by himself.” And the king said, “He also brings news.”

27Then the watchman said, “I see 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 he comes with good news.”

28Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Peace!” Then he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hand against my lord the king.”

29And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz said, “I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, but I did not know what it was.”

30The king said, “Turn aside; stand here.” So he turned aside and stood.

31And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive the good news, for Yahweh has vindicated you today from the hand of all who rose up against you.”

32Then the king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man.”