2 Samuel 18
18
David Gets Ready for Battle
1David counted his men and chose captains over 1000 and captains over 100 to lead them. 2He separated the people into three groups and sent them out. Joab led a third of the men. Joab’s brother, Abishai son of Zeruiah, led another third. And Ittai from Gath led the last third.
King David said to the people, “I will also go with you.”
3But they said, “No! You must not go with us. If we run away in the battle, Absalom’s men will not care. No, even if only half of us are killed, Absalom’s men will not care. But you are worth 10,000 of us! It is better for you to stay in the city. Then, if we need help, you can come to help us.”
4The king said to them, “I will do what you think is best.”
Then the king stood by the gate as the army went out in groups of 100 and 1000.
5The king gave a command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. He said, “Do this for me: Be gentle with young Absalom!” Everyone heard the king’s orders about Absalom to the captains.
David’s Army Defeats Absalom’s Army
6David’s army went out into the field against Absalom’s Israelites. They fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7David’s army defeated the Israelites. It was a great defeat because 20,000 men were killed that day. 8The battle spread throughout the country, but more men died in the forest than by the sword.
9It so happened that David’s officers found Absalom. Absalom jumped on his mule and tried to escape, but the mule went under the branches of a large oak tree. The branches were thick, and Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. His mule ran out from under him, so Absalom was left hanging above the ground.#18:9 above the ground Literally, “between heaven and earth.”
10Someone saw this happen and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”
11Joab said to the man, “Why didn’t you kill him and let him fall to the ground? I would have given you a belt and ten pieces of silver!”
12The man said to Joab, “I would not try to hurt the king’s son even if you gave me 1000 pieces of silver. We heard the king’s command to you, Abishai, and Ittai. The king said, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.’ 13If I had killed Absalom, the king himself would find out, and you would punish me.#18:13 you would punish me Or “you would have opposed me.””
14Joab said, “I will not waste my time here with you!”
Absalom was still alive and hanging in the oak tree. Joab took three sticks in his hand and hit him in the heart. 15Ten of Joab’s young helpers gathered around Absalom and killed him.
16Joab blew the trumpet and called the people to stop chasing Israelites. 17Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body and threw it into a large hole in the forest and covered it with stones.
All the Israelites ran away and went home.
18While Absalom was alive he put up a memorial stone in King’s Valley. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named that monument after himself. It is called “Absalom’s Monument” even today.
Joab Sends the News to David
19Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said to Joab, “May I run and take the news to King David? I’ll tell him the Lord has destroyed the enemy for him.”
20Joab answered Ahimaaz, “No, you will not carry the message today. You can do it some other time, but not today because it is the king’s son who is dead.”
21Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.”
So the Ethiopian bowed to Joab and ran to tell David.
22But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, “No matter what happens, please let me also run after the Ethiopian!”
Joab said, “Son, why do you want to carry the news? You will not get any reward for the news you bring.”
23Ahimaaz answered, “No matter what happens, I will run to David.”
Joab said to Ahimaaz, “All right, run to David!”
Then Ahimaaz ran through Jordan Valley and passed the Ethiopian.
David Hears the News
24David was sitting between the two gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof over the gate walls and saw a man running alone. 25The watchman shouted to tell King David.
King David said, “If the man is alone, he is bringing news.”
The man came closer and closer to the city. 26But then the watchman saw another man running. He called to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone.”
The king said, “He is also bringing news.”
27The watchman said, “I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
The king said, “Ahimaaz is a good man, he must be bringing good news.”
28Ahimaaz called to the king, “All is well!” Ahimaaz bowed with his face to the ground in front of the king and said, “Praise the Lord your God! The Lord has defeated the men who were against you, my lord and king.”
29The king asked, “Is young Absalom all right?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great excitement, but I don’t know what it was.”
30Then the king said, “Step over here and wait.” Ahimaaz went there and stood waiting.
31The Ethiopian arrived and said, “News for my lord and king. Today the Lord has punished all those who were against you!”
32The king asked the Ethiopian, “Is young Absalom all right?”
The Ethiopian answered, “May your enemies, or whoever tries to hurt you, suffer the same as this young man did.”
33So the king knew Absalom was dead and he became very upset. He went upstairs to the room over the gate, crying, “O my son Absalom! My son Absalom, I wish I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
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2 Samuel 18: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Samuel 18
18
1And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city. 4And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. 11And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle. 12And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15And ten young men that bare Joab’s armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people. 17And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, unto this day.
19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies. 20And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead. 21Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings? 23But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
24Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
28And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
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