2Samuel:18

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* And David numbered the people who were with him , and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them . * Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab , one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah , Joab 's brother , and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite . And the king said to the people , "I also will surely go out with you myself ." * But the people answered , "You shall not go out ! For if we flee away , they will not care about us ; nor if half of us die , will they care about us . But you are worth ten thousand of us now . For you are now more help to us in the city ." * Then the king said to them , "Whatever seems best to you I will do ." So the king stood beside the gate , and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands . * Now the king had commanded Joab , Abishai , and Ittai , saying , "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom ." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom . * So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel . And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim . * The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David , and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day . * For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside , and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured . * Then Absalom met the servants of David . Absalom rode on a mule . The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree , and his head caught in the terebinth ; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth . And the mule which was under him went on . * Now a certain man saw it and told Joab , and said , "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree !" * So Joab said to the man who told him , "You just saw him ! And why did you not strike him there to the ground ? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt ." * But the man said to Joab , "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand , I would not raise my hand against the king 's son . For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai , saying , "Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom !' * Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life . For there is nothing hidden from the king , and you yourself would have set yourself against me ." * Then Joab said , "I cannot linger with you ." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom 's heart , while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree . * And ten young men who bore Joab 's armor surrounded Absalom , and struck and killed him . * So Joab blew the trumpet , and the people returned from pursuing Israel . For Joab held back the people . * And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods , and laid a very large heap of stones over him . Then all Israel fled , everyone to his tent . * Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself , which is in the King 's Valley . For he said , "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance ." He called the pillar after his own name . And to this day it is called Absalom 's Monument . * Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said , "Let me run now and take the news to the king , how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies ." * And Joab said to him , "You shall not take the news this day , for you shall take the news another day . But today you shall take no news , because the king 's son is dead ." * Then Joab said to the Cushite , "Go , tell the king what you have seen ." So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran . * And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab , "But whatever happens , please let me also run after the Cushite ." So Joab said , "Why will you run , my son , since you have no news ready ?" * "But whatever happens ," he said , "let me run ." So he said to him , "Run ." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain , and outran the Cushite . * Now David was sitting between the two gates . And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate , to the wall , lifted his eyes and looked , and there was a man , running alone . * Then the watchman cried out and told the king . And the king said , "If he is alone , there is news in his mouth ." And he came rapidly and drew near . * Then the watchman saw another man running , and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said , "There is another man , running alone !" And the king said , "He also brings news ." * So the watchman said , "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok ." And the king said , "He is a good man , and comes with good news ." * So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king , "All is well !" Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king , and said , "Blessed be the LORD your God , who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king !" * The king said , "Is the young man Absalom safe ?" Ahimaaz answered , "When Joab sent the king 's servant and me your servant , I saw a great tumult , but I did not know what it was about ." * And the king said , "Turn aside and stand here ." So he turned aside and stood still . * Just then the Cushite came , and the Cushite said , "There is good news , my lord the king ! For the LORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you ." * And the king said to the Cushite , "Is the young man Absalom safe ?" So the Cushite answered , "May the enemies of my lord the king , and all who rise against you to do harm , be like that young man !" * Then the king was deeply moved , and went up to the chamber over the gate , and wept . And as he went , he said thus : "O my son Absalom--my son , my son Absalom--if only I had died in your place ! O Absalom my son , my son !"

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