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2 Samuel 18
- 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!
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