2Samuel:18

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* And David having reviewed his people , appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds , * And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab , and a third part under the hand of Abisai the son of Sarvia Joab 's brother , and a third part under the hand of Ethai , who was of Geth : and the king said to the people : I also will go forth with you . * And the people answered : Thou shalt not go forth : for if we flee away , they will not much mind us : or if half of us should fall , they will not greatly care : for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand : it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us . * And the king said to them : What seemeth good to you , that will I do . And the king stood by the gate : and all the people went forth by their troops , by hundreds and by thousands . * And the king commanded Joab , and Abisai , and Ethai , saying : Save me the boy Absalom . And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom . * So the people went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim . * And the people of Israel were defeated there by David 's army , and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men . * And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country , and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed , than whom the sword devoured that day . * And it happened that Absalom met he servants of David , riding on a mule : and as the mule went under a thick and large oak , his head stuck in the oak : and while he hung between the heaven and he earth , the mule on which he rode passed on . * And one saw this and told Joab , saying : I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak . * And Joab said to the man that told him : If thou sawest him , why didst thou not stab him to the ground , and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver , and belt ? * And he said to Joab : If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver , I would not lay my hands upon the king 's son : for in our hearing he king charged thee , and Abisai , and Ethai , saying : Save me the boy Absalom . * Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life , this could not have been hid from the king , and wouldst thou have stood by me ? * And Joab said : Not as thou wilt , but will set upon him in thy sight . So he took three lances in his hand , and thrust them into the heart of Absalom : and whilst he yet panted for life , sticking on the oak , * Ten young men , armourbearers of Joab , ran up , and striking him slew him . * And Joab sounded the trumpet , and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight , being willing to spare he multitude . * And they took Absalom , and cast him into a great pit in the forest , and they laid an exceeding great heap of stories upon him : but all Israel fled to their own dwellings . * Now Absalom had reared up for himself , in his lifetime , a pillar , which is in the king 's valley : for he said : I have no son , and this shall be the monument of my name . And he called the pillar by is own name , and it is called the hand of Absalom , to this day . * And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said : I will run and tell the king , that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies . * And Joab said to him : Thou shalt not be the messenger this day , but shalt bear tidings another day : this day I will not have thee bear tidings , because the king 's son is dead . * And Joab said to Chusai : Go , and tell the king what thou hast seen . Chusai bowed down to Joab , and ran . * Then Achimaas the son of Sadoc said to Joab again : Why might not I also run after Chusai ? And Joab said to him : Why wilt thou run , my son ? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings . * He answered : But what if I run ? And he said to him : Run . Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai . * And David sat between the two gates : and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall , lifting up his eyes , saw a man running alone . * And crying out he told the king : and the king said : If he be alone , there are good tidings in his mouth . And as he was coming apace , and drawing nearer , * The watchman saw another man running , and crying aloud from above , he said : I see another man running alone . And the king said : He also is a good messenger . * And the watchman said : The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc . And the king said : He is a good man : and cometh with good news . * And Achimaas crying out , said to the king : God save thee , O king . And falling down before the king with his face to the ground , he said : Blessed be the Lord thy God , who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king . * And the king said : Is the young man Absalom safe ? And Achimaas said : I saw a great tumult , O king , when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant : I know nothing else . * And the king said to him : Pass , and stand here . * And when he bad passed , and stood still , Chusai appeared : and coming up he said : I bring good tidings , my lord , the king , for the Lord hath judged for thee this day from the hand of all that have risen up against thee . * And the king said to Chusai : Is the young man Absalom safe ? And Chusai answering him , said : Let the enemies of my lord , the king , and all that rise against him unto evil , be as the young man is . * The king therefore being much moved , went up to the high chamber over the gate , and wept . And as he went he spoke in this manner : My son Absalom , Absalom my son : would to God that I might die for thee , Absalom my son , my son Absalom .

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