Then David ¹took a count of the people who were with him and ^aappointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people out, ^aa third ¹under the command of Joab, a third ²under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third ³under the command of ^bIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will certainly go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “^aYou should not go out; for if in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But ¹you are ²worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you will be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So ^athe king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And ^aall the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.

6 Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in ^athe forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were ¹defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then ^ahis head caught firmly in the oak, and he was ¹left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw him, he informed Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had informed him, “So behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been ¹my duty to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were to ¹receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for ^ain our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘²Protect the young man Absalom for me!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against ¹his life (and ^athere is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have ²avoided me.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not ¹waste time here with you.” ^aSo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the ²midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then ^aJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into ¹a deep pit in the forest, and ^aerected over him a very large pile of stones. And ^ball Israel fled, each to his own tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ^aset up for himself a memorial stone, which is in ^bthe King’s Valley, for he said, “^cI have no son to ¹continue my name.” So he named the memorial stone after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

19 Then ^aAhimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news ^bthat the LORD has ¹freed him from the hand of his enemies!” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 However, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since ^ayou will have no messenger’s reward for going?” 23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed by the Cushite.

24 Now ^aDavid was sitting between the two gates; and ^bthe watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself. 25 So the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man is running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “I ¹think the running form of the first one ^ais like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^bThis is a good man, and he is coming with good news.”

28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “¹All is well.” And ^ahe prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “^bBlessed is the LORD your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” 29 But the king said, “^aIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but ^bI did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^athe LORD has ¹freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “^aIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^bMay the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”

33 ¹Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “^aMy son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^bIf only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

Then David ¹numbered the people who were with him and ^aset over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent the people out, ^aone third under the ¹command of Joab, one third under the ²command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the ³command of ^bIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “^aYou should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But ¹you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So ^athe king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And ^aall the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.

6 Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in ^athe forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were ¹defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And ^ahis head caught fast in the oak, so he was ¹left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Now behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 The man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for ^ain our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘¹Protect for me the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and ^athere is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not ¹waste time here with you.” ^aSo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the ²midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then ^aJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 They took Absalom and cast him into ¹a deep pit in the forest and ^aerected over him a very great heap of stones. And ^ball Israel fled, each to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ^aset up for himself a pillar which is in ^bthe King’s Valley, for he said, “^cI have no son ¹to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

19 Then ^aAhimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news ^bthat the LORD has ¹freed him from the hand of his enemies.” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to carry news this day, but you shall carry news another day; however, you shall carry no news today because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since ^ayou will have no reward for going?” 23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite.

24 Now ^aDavid was sitting between the two gates; and ^bthe watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself. 25 The watchman called and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “I ¹think the running of the first one ^ais like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^bThis is a good man and comes with good news.”

28 Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “¹All is well.” And ^ahe prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “^bBlessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” 29 The king said, “^aIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but ^bI did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 Behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^athe LORD has ¹freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “^aIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^bLet the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”

33 ¹The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “^aO my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^bWould I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”