2Samuel:18

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* And David numbered the people that were with him , and he set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds . * And David sent forth the people a third part under the command of Joab , and a third part under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruyah , Joab ’s brother , and a third part under the command of Ittai the Gittite . And the king said unto the people , I myself also will without fail go forth with you . * But the people said , Thou shalt not go forth ; for if we should have to flee away , they will not care for us ; and if half of us die , they will not care for us ; for now thou art worth ten thousand of us : therefore now it is better that thou shouldst be a succor to us out of the city . * And the king said unto them , What seemeth good in your eyes will I do . And the king placed himself by the side of the gate , and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands . * And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Deal gently for my sake with the young man , with Abshalom . And all the people heard when the king charged all the captains with respect to Abshalom . * So the people went out into the field against Israel : and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim . * And the people of Israel were smitten there before David ’s servants , and the slaughter was great there on that day ––twenty thousand men . * And the battle became extended there over the face of all the country : and the forest devoured yet more of the people than the sword had devoured on that day . * And Abshalom happened to come before the servants of David . And Abshalom was riding upon a mule , and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak , and his head caught hold of the oak , and he was left hanging between the heaven and the earth : and the mule that was under him passed on . * And a certain man saw , and told it to Joab , and said , Behold , I have seen Abshalom hanging on an oak . * And Joab said unto the man that told him , And , behold , thou sawest him : why then didst thou not smite him there to the ground ? and it would have been obligatory on me to give thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle . * And the man said unto Joab , And though I should weigh on my hands a thousand shekels of silver , I would not stretch forth my hand against the king ’s son ; for before our ears did the king charge thee and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Take heed , whoever it be , of the young man , of Abshalom . * Or should I even have acted with falsehood against my own life , since there is no matter which can be hidden from the king ; thou wouldst surely have placed thyself aloof . * Then said Joab , I will not wait thus before thee . And he took three darts in his hand , and thrust them into the heart of Abshalom , who was yet alive in the midst of the oak . * And ten young men , Joab ’s armor –bearers , encompassed and smote Abshalom , and slew him . * And Joab blew the cornet , and the people returned from pursuing after Israel ; for Joab restrained the people . * And they took Abshalom , and cast him down in the forest , into the large pit , and erected upon him a very great heap of stones : and all Israel fled , every one , to his tents . * Now Abshalom had taken and reared up for himself in his lifetime , the pillar , which is in the king ’s dale ; for he said , I have no son , so as to keep my name in remembrance ; and he called the pillar after his own name : and it was called Abshalom ’s monument , even until this day . * And Achima ’az the son of Zadok said , Do let me run , I pray thee , and bear the king tidings , that the Lord hath done him justice from the power of his enemies . * And Joab said unto him , Thou art not the man to bear tidings this day , and thou shalt bear tidings another day ; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings , because the king ’s son is dead . * Then said Joab to the Cushi , Go tell the king what thou hast seen , And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab , and ran . * Then said Achima ’az the son of Zadok yet again to Joab , Be it as it may , let me , I pray thee , run also after the Cushi . And Joab said , Wherefore is it that thou wilt run , my son , seeing that thou hast no profitable tidings ? * But be it as it may , let me run . And he said unto him , Run . And Achima ’az ran by the way of the plain , and passed the Cushi . * And David was sitting between the two gates : and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate , upon the wall , and as he lifted up his eyes , he saw , and behold , a man was running alone . * And the watchman cried , and told it to the king . And the king said , If he be alone , there are tidings in his mouth . And he came nearer and nearer continually . * And the watchman saw another man running : and the watchman called unto the gate –keeper , and said , Behold , here is a man running alone . And the king said , Also this one bringeth tidings . * And the watchman said , I regard the running of the foremost as the running of Achima ’az the son of Zadok . And the king said , That is a good man , and with good tidings must he come . * And Achima ’az called , and said unto the king , Peace . And he prostrated himself to the king with his face to the earth , and said , Blessed be the Lord thy God , who hath surrendered the men that had lifted up their hand against my Lord the king . * And the king said , Is the young man Abshalom safe ? And Achima ’az answered , I saw the greatest crowd when Joab sent off the king ’s servant , and thy servant ; but I know not what hath happened . * And the king said , Turn aside , place thyself here . And he turned aside , and remained standing . * And , behold , the Cushi came ; and the Cushi said , Let my lord the king receive the tidings , that the Lord hath done thee justice this day from the power of all those that had risen up against thee . * And the king said unto the Cushi , Is the young man Abshalom safe ? And the Cushi answered , May like the young man be the enemies of my Lord the king , and all that have risen up against thee for evil . *

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