1 And David1732 numbered6485 the people5971 that were with him, and set7760 captains8269 of thousands,505 and captains8269 of hundreds3967 over5921 them.

2 And David1732 sent7971 forth a third7992 part of the people5971 under the hand3027 of Joab,3097 and a third7992 part under the hand3027 of Abishai52 the son1121 of Zeruiah,6870 Joab's3097 brother,251 and a third7992 part under the hand3027 of Ittai863 the Gittite.1663 And the king4428 said559 to the people,5971 I will surely go3318 forth3318 with you myself589 also.1571

3 But the people5971 answered,559 You shall not go3318 forth:3318 for if518 we flee5127 away, they will not care7760 3820 for us; neither518 if518 half2677 of us die,4191 will they care7760 3820 for us: but now6258 you are worth3644 ten6235 thousand505 of us: therefore now6258 it is better2896 that you succor5826 us out of the city.5892

4 And the king4428 said559 to them, What834 seems5869 you best3190 I will do.6213 And the king4428 stood5975 by the gate8179 side,3027 and all3605 the people5971 came3318 out by hundreds3967 and by thousands.505

5 And the king4428 commanded6680 Joab3097 and Abishai52 and Ittai,863 saying,559 Deal gently3814 for my sake with the young5288 man, even with Absalom.53 And all3605 the people5971 heard8085 when the king4428 gave all3605 the captains8269 charge6680 concerning5921 1697 Absalom.53

6 So the people5971 went3318 out into the field7704 against7125 Israel:3478 and the battle4421 was in the wood3293 of Ephraim;669

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

8 For the battle4421 was there8033 scattered6327 over5921 the face6440 of all3605 the country:776 and the wood3293 devoured398 more7235 people5971 that day3117 than834 the sword2719 devoured.398

9 And Absalom53 met7122 the servants5650 of David.1732 And Absalom53 rode7392 on a mule,6505 and the mule6505 went935 under8478 the thick boughs7730 of a great1419 oak,424 and his head7218 caught2388 hold2388 of the oak,424 and he was taken5414 up between996 the heaven8064 and the earth;776 and the mule6505 that was under8478 him went5674 away.

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

11 And Joab3097 said559 to the man376 that told5046 him, And, behold,2009 you saw7200 him, and why4069 did you not smite5221 him there8033 to the ground?776 and I would have given5414 you ten6235 shekels of silver,3701 and a girdle.2290

12 And the man376 said559 to Joab,3097 Though3863 I should receive8254 a thousand505 shekels of silver3701 in my hand,3027 yet would I not put7971 forth7971 my hand3027 against413 the king's4428 son:1121 for in our hearing241 the king4428 charged6680 you and Abishai52 and Ittai,863 saying,559 Beware8104 that none touch the young5288 man Absalom.53

13 Otherwise176 I should have worked6213 falsehood8267 against my own life:5315 for there is no3808 matter1697 hid3582 from the king,4428 and you yourself859 would have set3320 yourself against5048 me.

14 Then said559 Joab,3097 I may not tarry3176 thus3651 with you. 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 middle3820 of the oak.424

15 And ten6235 young5288 men that bore5375 Joab's3097 armor3627 compassed5437 about5437 and smote5221 Absalom,53 and slew4191 him.

16 And Joab3097 blew8628 the trumpet,7782 and the people5971 returned7725 from pursuing7291 after310 Israel:3478 for Joab3097 held2820 back2820 the people.5971

17 And they took3947 Absalom,53 and cast7993 him into413 a great1419 pit6354 in the wood,3293 and laid5324 a very3966 great1419 heap1530 of stones68 on him: and all3605 Israel3478 fled5127 every376 one376 to his tent.168

18 Now Absalom53 in his lifetime2416 had taken3947 and reared5324 up for himself a pillar,4678 which834 is in the king's4428 dale:6010 for he said,559 I have no369 son1121 to keep my name8034 in remembrance:2142 and he called7121 the pillar4678 after5921 his own name:8034 and it is called7121 to this2088 day,3117 Absalom's53 place.3027

19 Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok,6659 Let me now4994 run,7323 and bear1319 the king4428 tidings,1319 how that the LORD3068 has avenged8199 him of his enemies.341

20 And Joab3097 said559 to him, You shall not bear1319 tidings1309 this2088 day,3117 but you shall bear1319 tidings1319 another312 day:3117 but this2088 day3117 you shall bear1319 no3808 tidings,1319 because3588 5921 the king's4428 son1121 is dead.4191

21 Then said559 Joab3097 to Cushi,3569 Go3212 tell5046 the king4428 what834 you have seen.7200 And Cushi3569 bowed7812 himself to Joab,3097 and ran.7323

22 Then said559 Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok6659 yet5750 again3254 to Joab,3097 But howsoever,1961 4101 let me, I pray4994 you, also1571 run7323 after310 Cushi.3569 And Joab3097 said,559 Why4100 2088 will you run,7323 my son,1121 seeing that you have no369 tidings1309 ready?4672

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

24 And David1732 sat3427 between996 the two8147 gates:8179 and the watchman6822 went3212 up to the roof1406 over413 the gate8179 to the wall,2346 and lifted5375 up 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 came3212 apace, and drew near.7126

26 And the watchman6822 saw7200 another312 man376 running:7323 and the watchman6822 called7121 to the porter,7778 and said,559 Behold2009 another man376 running7323 alone.905 And the king4428 said,559 He also1571 brings1319 tidings.1319

27 And the watchman6822 said,559 Me thinks7200 the running4794 of the foremost7223 is like the running4794 of Ahimaaz290 the son1121 of Zadok.6659 And the king4428 said,559 He is a good2896 man,376 and comes935 with good2896 tidings.1309

28 And Ahimaaz290 called,7121 and said559 to the king,4428 All is well.7965 And he fell7812 down7812 to the earth776 on his face639 before the king,4428 and said,559 Blessed1288 be the LORD3068 your God,430 which834 has delivered5462 up the men582 that lifted5375 up their hand3027 against my lord113 the king.4428

29 And the king4428 said,559 Is the young5288 man Absalom53 safe?7965 And Ahimaaz290 answered,559 When Joab3097 sent7971 the king's4428 servant,5650 and me your servant,5650 I saw7200 a great1419 tumult,1995 but I knew3045 not what4100 it was.

30 And the king4428 said559 to him, Turn5437 aside,5437 and stand3320 here.3541 And he turned5437 aside,5437 and stood5975 still.

31 And, behold,2009 Cushi3569 came;935 and Cushi3569 said,559 Tidings,1319 my lord113 the king:4428 for the LORD3068 has avenged8199 you this day3117 of all3605 them that rose6965 up against5921 you.

32 And the king4428 said559 to Cushi,3569 Is the young5288 man Absalom53 safe?7965 And Cushi3569 answered,559 The enemies341 of my lord113 the king,4428 and all3605 that rise6965 against5921 you to do you hurt,7451 be as that young5288 man is.

33 And the king4428 was much moved,7264 and went5927 up to the chamber5944 over5921 the gate,8179 and wept:1058 and as he went,3212 thus3541 he said,559 O my son1121 Absalom,53 my son,1121 my son1121 Absalom!53 would4310 5414 God I had died4191 for you, O Absalom,53 my son,1121 my son!1121