2 Samuel 18
1 David mustered the people who were with him and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.
2 David sent the people out: one third under Joab’s command, one third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will go out with you too.”
3 But the people said, “You must not go out. If we flee, they will pay no attention to us, and if half of us die, they will pay no attention to us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better for you to support us from the city.”
4 The king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out in groups of hundreds and thousands.
5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, deal gently with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard the king give this command to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
6 The people went out into the open country to meet Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 There Israel’s army was defeated by David’s servants. That day a great slaughter took place there: twenty thousand men.
8 The battle spread across the whole region, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword did.
9 Absalom came upon David’s servants. He was riding a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule beneath him went on.
10 A man saw this and reported to Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 Joab said to the man who had told him, “You saw him? Then why didn’t you strike him down there on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”
12 The man answered Joab, “Even if I weighed a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son, because we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom, whoever you are.’
13 If I had acted treacherously against my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you yourself would have kept your distance.”
14 Joab said, “I’m not going to waste any more time with you.” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak.
15 Ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 Joab sounded the trumpet, and the people stopped pursuing Israel, because Joab held them back.
17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a very great heap of stones over him. All Israel fled, each man to his tent.
18 While he was still alive, Absalom had taken and set up a pillar for himself in the King’s Valley, because he said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the king the good news that the LORD has brought him justice by rescuing him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 Joab said to him, “You will not carry the news today. You can carry news another day, but not today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Joab said to the Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab and ran.
22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok pleaded with Joab again, “Whatever happens, let me run too, after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son? You have no news that will bring you a reward.”
23 “Whatever happens, I will run.” Joab said to him, “Run.” Ahimaaz ran by the plain road and passed the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, looked up, and saw a man running alone.
25 The watchman called out and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, he has good news.” As the man came closer and closer,
26 the watchman saw another man running and called to the gatekeeper, “Look, another man is running alone!” The king said, “That one also brings good news.”
27 The watchman said, “I can tell from the way the first man runs that he is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man; he comes with good news.”
28 Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has handed over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king!”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom well?” Ahimaaz answered, “I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Step aside and stand here.” He stepped aside and stood waiting.
31 Just then the Cushite arrived and said, “May my lord the king receive good news! The LORD has brought you justice today, rescuing you from the hand of all who rose against you.”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom well?” The Cushite answered, “May my lord the king’s enemies, and all who rose against you to do you harm, be like that young man!”
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