1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set
captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the
battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
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!
|
