1 And David1732 numbered6485 853 the people5971 that834 were with854 him, and set7760 captains8269 of thousands505 and captains8269 of hundreds3967 over5921 them.

2 And David1732 sent forth7971 a third part7992 of853 the people5971 under the hand3027 of Joab,3097 and a third part7992 under the hand3027 of Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah,6870 Joab's3097 brother,251 and a third part7992 under the hand3027 of Ittai863 the Gittite.1663 And the king4428 said559 unto413 the people,5971 I will surely go forth3318 3318 with5973 you myself589 also.1571

3 But the people5971 answered,559 Thou shalt not3808 go forth:3318 for3588 if518 we flee away,5127 5127 they will not3808 care7760 3820 for413 us; neither3808 if518 half2677 of us die,4191 will they care7760 3820 for413 us: but3588 now6258 thou art worth3644 ten6235 thousand505 of us: therefore now6258 it is better2896 that3588 thou succor5826 us out of the city.4480 5892

4 And the king4428 said559 unto413 them, What834 seemeth5869 you best3190 I will do.6213 And the king4428 stood5975 by413 the gate8179 side,3027 and all3605 the people5971 came out3318 by hundreds3967 and by thousands.505

5 And the king4428 commanded6680 853 Joab3097 and Abishai52 and Ittai,863 saying,559 Deal gently328 for my sake with the young man,5288 even with Absalom.53 And all3605 the people5971 heard8085 when the king4428 gave853 all3605 the captains8269 charge6680 concerning5921 1697 Absalom.53

6 So the people5971 went out3318 into the field7704 against7125 Israel:3478 and the battle4421 was1961 in the wood3293 of Ephraim;669

7 Where8033 the people5971 of Israel3478 were slain5062 before6440 the servants5650 of David,1732 and there was1961 there8033 a great1419 slaughter4046 that1931 day3117 of twenty6242 thousand505 men.

8 For the battle4421 was1961 there8033 scattered6327 over5921 the face6440 of all3605 the country:776 and the wood3293 devoured398 more7235 people5971 that1931 day3117 than the sword2719 devoured.398

9 And Absalom53 met7122 the servants5650 of David.1732 And Absalom53 rode7392 upon5921 a mule,6505 and the mule6505 went935 under8478 the thick boughs7730 of a great1419 oak,424 and his head7218 caught hold2388 of the oak,424 and he was taken up5414 between996 the heaven8064 and the earth;776 and the mule6505 that834 was under8478 him went away.5674

10 And a certain259 man376 saw7200 it, and told5046 Joab,3097 and said,559 Behold,2009 I saw7200 853 Absalom53 hanged8518 in an oak.424

11 And Joab3097 said559 unto the man376 that told5046 him, And, behold,2009 thou sawest7200 him, and why4069 didst thou not3808 smite5221 him there8033 to the ground?776 and I would have given5414 thee ten6235 shekels of silver,3701 and a259 girdle.2290

12 And the man376 said559 unto413 Joab,3097 Though3863 I595 should receive8254 a thousand505 shekels of silver3701 in5921 mine hand,3709 yet would I not3808 put forth7971 mine hand3027 against413 the king's4428 son:1121 for3588 in our hearing241 the king4428 charged6680 thee and Abishai52 and Ittai,863 saying,559 Beware that none8104 4130 touch the young man5288 Absalom.53

13 Otherwise176 I should have wrought6213 falsehood8267 against mine own life:5315 for there is no matter3808 3605 1697 hid3582 from4480 the king,4428 and thou thyself859 wouldest have set thyself3320 against4480 5048 me.

14 Then said559 Joab,3097 I may not3808 tarry3176 thus3651 with6440 thee. And he took3947 three7969 darts7626 in his hand,3709 and thrust8628 them through the heart3820 of Absalom,53 while5750 he was yet alive2416 in the midst3820 of the oak.424

15 And ten6235 young men5288 that bore5375 Joab's3097 armor3627 compassed about5437 and smote5221 853 Absalom,53 and slew4191 him.

16 And Joab3097 blew8628 the trumpet,7782 and the people5971 returned7725 from pursuing4480 7291 after310 Israel:3478 for3588 Joab3097 held back2820 853 the people.5971

17 And they took3947 853 Absalom,53 and cast7993 him into413 a great1419 pit6354 in the wood,3293 and laid5324 a very3966 great1419 heap1530 of stones68 upon5921 him: and all3605 Israel3478 fled5127 every one376 to his tent.168

18 Now Absalom53 in his lifetime2416 had taken3947 and reared up5324 for himself853 a pillar,4678 which834 is in the king's4428 dale:6010 for3588 he said,559 I have no369 son1121 to5668 keep my name in remembrance:2142 8034 and he called7121 the pillar4678 after5921 his own name:8034 and it is called7121 unto5704 this2088 day,3117 Absalom's53 place.3027

19 Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok,6659 Let me now4994 run,7323 and bear1319 853 the king4428 tidings, how that3588 the LORD3068 hath avenged8199 him of his enemies.341

20 And Joab3097 said559 unto him, Thou859 shalt not3808 bear tidings376 1309 this2088 day,3117 but thou shalt bear tidings1319 another312 day:3117 but this2088 day3117 thou shalt bear no tidings,1319 3808 because3588 5921 the king's4428 son1121 is dead.4191

21 Then said559 Joab3097 to Cushi,3569 Go1980 tell5046 the king4428 what834 thou hast seen.7200 And Cushi3569 bowed himself7812 unto Joab,3097 and ran.7323

22 Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok6659 yet5750 again3254 to413 Joab,3097 But howsoever,1961 4100 let me, I589 pray4994 thee, also1571 run7323 after310 Cushi.3569 And Joab3097 said,559 Wherefore4100 2088 wilt thou859 run,7323 my son,1121 seeing that thou hast no369 tidings1309 ready?4672

23 But howsoever,1961 4100 said he, let me run.7323 And he said559 unto him, Run.7323 Then Ahimaaz290 ran7323 by the way1870 of the plain,3603 and overran5674 853 Cushi.3569

24 And David1732 sat3427 between996 the two8147 gates:8179 and the watchman6822 went up1980 to413 the roof1406 over the gate8179 unto413 the wall,2346 and lifted up5375 853 his eyes,5869 and looked,7200 and behold2009 a man376 running7323 alone.905

25 And the watchman6822 cried,7121 and told5046 the king.4428 And the king4428 said,559 If518 he be alone,905 there is tidings1309 in his mouth.6310 And he came1980 apace,1980 and drew near.7131

26 And the watchman6822 saw7200 another312 man376 running:7323 and the watchman6822 called7121 unto413 the porter,7778 and said,559 Behold2009 another man376 running7323 alone.905 And the king4428 said,559 He2088 also1571 bringeth tidings.1319

27 And the watchman6822 said,559 Me589 thinketh7200 853 the running4794 of the foremost7223 is like the running4794 of Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok.6659 And the king4428 said,559 He2088 is a good2896 man,376 and cometh935 with good2896 tidings.1309

28 And Ahimaaz290 called,7121 and said559 unto413 the king,4428 All is well.7965 And he fell down7821 to the earth776 upon his face639 before the king,4428 and said,559 Blessed1288 be the LORD3068 thy God,430 which834 hath delivered up5462 853 the men376 that834 lifted up5375 853 their hand3027 against my lord113 the king.4428

29 And the king4428 said,559 Is the young man5288 Absalom53 safe?7965 And Ahimaaz290 answered,559 When Joab3097 sent7971 853 the king's4428 servant,5650 and me thy servant,5650 I saw7200 a great1419 tumult,1995 but I knew3045 not3808 what4100 it was.

30 And the king4428 said559 unto him, Turn aside,5437 and stand3320 here.3541 And he turned aside,5437 and stood still.5975

31 And, behold,2009 Cushi3569 came;935 and Cushi3569 said,559 Tidings,1319 my lord113 the king:4428 for3588 the LORD3068 hath avenged8199 thee this day3117 of4480 3027 all3605 them that rose up6965 against5921 thee.

32 And the king4428 said559 unto413 Cushi,3569 Is the young man5288 Absalom53 safe?7965 And Cushi3569 answered,559 The enemies341 of my lord113 the king,4428 and all3605 that834 rise6965 against5921 thee to do thee hurt,7451 be1961 as that young man5288 is.

33 And the king4428 was much moved,7264 and went up5927 to5921 the chamber5944 over the gate,8179 and wept:1058 and as he went,1980 thus3541 he said,559 O my son1121 Absalom,53 my son,1121 my son1121 Absalom!53 would God4310 5414 I589 had died4191 for8478 thee, O Absalom,53 my son,1121 my son!1121