2 Samuel 18

Revised Geneva Translation

18 Then David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands over them, and captains of hundreds.

² And David sent forth one third of the people under the hand of Joab, and one third of those under the hand of Abishai, Joab’s brother, the son of Zeruiah, and one third of those under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I will also go with you myself.”

³ But the people answered, “You shall not go forth! For if we flee away, they will not care about us! Nor will they care about us if half of us were killed! But you are now worth ten thousand of us! Therefore, now, it is better that you help us out of the city!”

⁴ Then the king said to them, “What seems best to you, that I will do.” So, the king stood by the gate side. And all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

⁵ And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Engage the young man Absalom gently, for my sake.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

⁶ So, the people went out into the field to meet Israel. And the battle was in the Forest of Ephraim,

⁷ where the people of Israel were killed before the servants of David. So, there was a great slaughter that day, of twenty thousand.

⁸ For the battle was scattered over all the country. And the forest devoured many more people that day than did the sword.

⁹ Now Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule. And the mule came under a great thick oak. And his head caught hold of the oak and he was taken up between the sky and the earth. And the mule that was under him went away.

¹⁰ And one who saw it told Joab, saying, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.”

¹¹ Then Joab said to the man who told him, “And have you indeed seen? Why then did you not strike him to the ground there, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a girdle?”

¹² Then the man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would still not lay my hand upon the king’s son! For in our hearing, the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware, lest any touch the young man Absalom.’

¹³ “If I had done it, it would have been the danger of my life! For nothing can be hidden from the king! Yea, you yourself would have been against me!”

¹⁴ Then Joab said, “I will not wait with you like this.” And he took three arrows in his hand and thrust them through Absalom, while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.

¹⁵ And ten servants who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.

¹⁶ Then 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 forest and laid a mighty great heap of stones upon him. And all Israel fled, each one to his tent.

¹⁸ Now Absalom, in his lifetime, had taken and raised up a pillar for himself (which is in the king’s dale). For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” And he named the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called “Absalom’s Place”.

¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king the news that the LORD has delivered him out of the hand of his enemies.”

²⁰ And Joab said to him, “You shall not be the messenger today. You shall bring news another time. But today you shall bear none. For the king’s son is dead.”

²¹ Then Joab said to Cushi, “Go! Tell the king what you have seen.” And Cushi bowed himself to Joab and ran.

²² Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after Cushi?” And Joab said, “Why, now, will you run, my son, seeing that you have no tidings to bring?”

²³ “Still, let me run?” Then he said to him, “Run.” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and overtook Cushi.

²⁴ Now David sat between the two gates. And the watchman went to the top of the gate, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes and saw. And behold, a man came running alone.

²⁵ And the watchman cried and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, he brings news.” And he came quickly and drew near.

²⁶ And the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the potter, and said, “Behold, a man runs alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.”

²⁷ And the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” Then the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

²⁸ And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “Peace!” And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, Who has shut up the men who lift up their hands 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 your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what.”

³⁰ And the king said to him, “Turn aside. Stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

³¹ And behold, Cushi came. And Cushi said, “News, my lord the king. For the LORD has delivered you this day out of the hand of all who rose against you!”

³² Then the king said to Cushi, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” And Cushi answered, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do you harm, are as that young man is.”

³³ And the king was moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said this: “O, my son Absalom! My son! My son, Absalom! Would that I had died for you, O Absalom, my son! My son!”