1And David1732 numbered6485 the people5971 that were with him, and set7760 captains8269 of thousands505 and captains8269 of hundreds3967 over them.
2And David1732 sent forth7971 a third part7992 of the people5971 under the hand3027 of Joab3097, and a third part7992 under the hand3027 of Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah6870, Joab's3097 brother251, and a third part7992 under the hand3027 of Ittai863 the Gittite1663. And the king4428 said559 unto the people5971, I will surely3318 go forth3318 with you myself589 also.
3But the people5971 answered559, Thou shalt not go forth3318: for if we flee5127 away5127, they will not care7760 3820 for us; neither if half2677 of us die4191, will they care7760 3820 for us: but now thou art worth3644 ten6235 thousand505 of us: therefore now it is better2896 that thou succour5826 5826 us out of the city5892.
4And the king4428 said559 unto them, What seemeth5869 you best3190 I will do6213. And the king4428 stood5975 by the gate8179 side3027, and all the people5971 came out3318 by hundreds3967 and by thousands505.
5And the king4428 commanded6680 Joab3097 and Abishai52 and Ittai863, saying559, Deal gently328 for my sake with the young man5288, even with Absalom53. And all the people5971 heard8085 when the king4428 gave all the captains8269 charge6680 concerning1697 Absalom53.
6So the people5971 went out3318 into the field7704 against7125 Israel3478: and the battle4421 was in the wood3293 of Ephraim669;
7Where the people5971 of Israel3478 were slain5062 before6440 the servants5650 of David1732, and there was there a great1419 slaughter4046 that day3117 of twenty6242 thousand505 men.
8For the battle4421 was there scattered6327 over the face6440 of all the country776: and the wood3293 devoured398 more7235 people5971 that day3117 than the sword2719 devoured398.
9And Absalom53 met7122 the servants6440 5650 of David1732. And Absalom53 rode7392 upon a mule6505, and the mule6505 went935 under the thick boughs7730 of a great1419 oak424, and his head7218 caught hold2388 of the oak424, and he was taken up5414 between the heaven8064 and the earth776; and the mule6505 that was under him went away5674.
10And a certain259 man376 saw7200 it, and told5046 Joab3097, and said559, Behold, I saw7200 Absalom53 hanged8518 in an oak424.
11And Joab3097 said559 unto the man376 that told5046 him, And, behold, thou sawest7200 him, and why didst thou not smite5221 him there to the ground776? and I would have given5414 thee ten6235 shekels of silver3701, and a259 girdle2290.
12And the man376 said559 unto Joab3097, Though3863 I should receive8254 a thousand505 shekels of silver3701 in mine hand3709, yet would I not put forth7971 mine hand3027 against the king's4428 son1121: for in our hearing241 the king4428 charged6680 thee and Abishai52 and Ittai863, saying559, Beware8104 that none touch the young man5288 Absalom53.
13Otherwise176 I should have wrought6213 falsehood8267 against mine own life5315: for there is no matter1697 hid3582 from the king4428, and thou thyself wouldest have set3320 thyself against me.
14Then said559 Joab3097, I may not tarry3176 thus with thee6440. And he took3947 three7969 darts7626 in his hand3709, and thrust8628 them through the heart3820 of Absalom53, while he was yet alive2416 in the midst of the oak424.
15And ten6235 young men5288 that bare5375 Joab's3097 armour3627 compassed about5437 and smote5221 Absalom53, and slew4191 him.
16And Joab3097 blew8628 the trumpet7782, and the people5971 returned7725 from pursuing7291 after310 Israel3478: for Joab3097 held back2820 the people5971.
17And they took3947 Absalom53, and cast7993 him into a great1419 pit6354 in the wood3293, and laid5324 a very3966 great1419 heap1530 of stones68 upon him: and all Israel3478 fled5127 every one376 to his tent168.
18Now Absalom53 in his lifetime2416 had taken3947 and reared up5324 for himself a pillar4678, which is in the king's4428 dale6010: for he said559, I have no son1121 to keep my name8034 in remembrance2142: and he called7121 the pillar4678 after his own name8034: and it is called7121 unto this day3117, Absalom's53 place3027.
19Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok6659, Let me now run7323, and bear1319 the king4428 tidings1319, how that the LORD3068 hath avenged8199 him of his enemies3027 341.
20And Joab3097 said559 unto him, Thou376 shalt not bear tidings1309 this day3117, but thou shalt bear tidings1319 another312 day3117: but this day3117 thou shalt bear no tidings1319, because the king's4428 son1121 is dead4191.
21Then said559 Joab3097 to Cushi3569, Go3212 tell5046 the king4428 what thou hast seen7200. And Cushi3569 bowed7812 himself unto Joab3097, and ran7323.
22Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok6659 yet again3254 to Joab3097, But howsoever4100, let me, I pray thee, also run7323 after310 Cushi3569. And Joab3097 said559, Wherefore wilt thou run7323, my son1121, seeing that thou hast no tidings1309 ready4672?
23But howsoever, said he, let me run7323. And he said559 unto him, Run7323. Then Ahimaaz290 ran7323 by the way1870 of the plain3603, and overran5674 Cushi3569.
24And David1732 sat3427 between the two8147 gates8179: and the watchman6822 went up3212 to the roof1406 over the gate8179 unto the wall2346, and lifted up5375 his eyes5869, and looked7200, and behold a man376 running7323 alone.
25And the watchman6822 cried7121, and told5046 the king4428. And the king4428 said559, If he be alone, there is tidings1309 in his mouth6310. And he came3212 apace1980, and drew near7131.
26And the watchman6822 saw7200 another312 man376 running7323: and the watchman6822 called7121 unto the porter7778, and said559, Behold another man376 running7323 alone. And the king4428 said559, He also bringeth tidings1319.
27And the watchman6822 said559, Me thinketh7200 the running4794 of the foremost7223 is like the running4794 of Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok6659. And the king4428 said559, He is a good2896 man376, and cometh935 with good2896 tidings1309.
28And Ahimaaz290 called7121, and said559 unto the king4428, All is well7965. And he fell down7812 to the earth776 upon his face639 before the king4428, and said559, Blessed1288 be the LORD3068 thy God430, which hath delivered up5462 the men582 that lifted up5375 their hand3027 against my lord113 the king4428.
29And the king4428 said559, Is the young man5288 Absalom53 safe7965? And Ahimaaz290 answered559, When Joab3097 sent7971 the king's4428 servant5650, and me thy servant5650, I saw7200 a great1419 tumult1995, but I knew3045 not what it was.
30And the king4428 said559 unto him, Turn aside5437, and stand3320 here3541. And he turned aside5437, and stood still5975.
31And, behold, Cushi3569 came935; and Cushi3569 said559, Tidings1319, my lord113 the king4428: for the LORD3068 hath avenged8199 thee this day3117 of all them3027 that rose up6965 against thee.
32And the king4428 said559 unto Cushi3569, Is the young man5288 Absalom53 safe7965? And Cushi3569 answered559, The enemies341 of my lord113 the king4428, and all that rise6965 against thee to do thee hurt7451, be as that young man5288 is.
33And the king4428 was much moved7264, and went up5927 to the chamber5944 over the gate8179, and wept1058: and as he went3212, thus he said559, O my son1121 Absalom53, my son1121, my son1121 Absalom53! would God I had died4191 for thee5414, O Absalom53, my son1121, my son1121!