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II SAMUEL ยท Chapter 18
18:1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains
of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.
18:2 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.
18:3 But the people answered, You shall 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 you are worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better
that you help us out of the city.
18:4 And the king said unto them, What seems you best I will do. And
the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds
and by thousands.
18:5 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.
18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the
battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
18:7 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.
18:8 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.
18:9 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.
18:10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I
saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
18:11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, you saw
him, and why did you not strike him there to the ground? and I would have
given you ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
18:12 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 you and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
18:13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life:
for there is no matter hid from the king, and you yourself would have set
yourself against me.
18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with you. 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.
18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and
stroke Absalom, and slew him.
18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing
after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
18:17 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.
18:18 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.
18:19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear
the king tidings, how that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.
18:20 And Joab said unto him, You shall not bear tidings this day,
but you shall bear tidings another day: but this day you shall bear no
tidings, because the king's son is dead.
18:21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what you have seen.
And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
18:22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever,
let me, I pray you, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore will
you run, my son, seeing that you have no tidings ready?
18:23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run.
Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran Cushi.
18:24 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.
18:25 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 swiftly, and
drew near.
18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called
unto the gate keeper, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the
king said, He also brings tidings.
18:27 And the watchman said, It seems to me that 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 comes with good tidings.
18:28 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 your God, which has delivered up the men that lifted up their
hand against my lord the king.
18:29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz
answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me your servant, I saw
a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
18:30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he
turned aside, and stood still.
18:31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the
king: for the LORD has avenged you this day of all them that rose up against
you.
18:32 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 you to do you hurt, be as that young man is.
18:33 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 you, O Absalom, my son, my
son!
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