2 Samuel 13-18

Legacy Standard Bible

Amnon Violates Tamar

13 Now it happened afterwards that ^(A)Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was ^(B)Tamar, and ^(C)Amnon the son of David loved her. ² And Amnon was so distressed because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin. So it was hard in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her. ³ But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of ^[a](D)Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very ^[b]shrewd man. ⁴ And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” ⁵ Jonadab then said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; and your father will come to see you, and you will say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” ⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and ^(E)make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

⁷ Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” ⁸ So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. ⁹ And she took the pan and ^[c]dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “^(F)Have everyone go out from me.” So everyone went out from him. ¹⁰ Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the ^[d]bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. ¹¹ Then she brought them near to him to eat, but he ^(G)took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” ¹² But she said to him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for ^(H)such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this ^(I)disgraceful thing! ¹³ As for me, where could I ^[e]get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. So now, please speak to the king, for ^(J)he will not withhold me from you.” ¹⁴ But he was not willing to listen to her voice. Now he was stronger than she, so he ^(K)violated her and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!” ¹⁶ But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” But he was not willing to listen to her. ¹⁷ Then he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now cast this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her.” ¹⁸ Now she had on ^(L)a ^[f]long-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. ^19 (M)Then Tamar put ^[g]ashes on her head and ^(N)tore her ^[h]long-sleeved garment which was on her; and ^(O)she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰ So Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. ²¹ Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry. ²² But Absalom did not speak to Amnon ^(P)either good or bad; for ^(Q)Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

²³ Now it happened after two full years that Absalom ^(R)had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

Absalom Strikes Down Amnon

²⁴ And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” ²⁵ But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you.” Although he ^[i]urged him, he was not willing to go, but blessed him. ²⁶ Then ^(S)Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷ But Absalom ^[j]urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons with him.

²⁸ Then Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “See now, ^(T)when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself commanded you? Be strong and be ^[k]valiant.” ²⁹ Thus the young men of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose and each mounted ^(U)his mule and fled.

³⁰ Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” ³¹ Then the king arose, ^(V)tore his clothes and ^(W)lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn. ^32 (X)But Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Do not let my lord ^[l]suppose they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone has died; because by the ^[m]intent of Absalom this has been set since the day that he violated his sister Tamar. ³³ So now, do not let my lord the king ^(Y)take the report to ^[n]heart, saying, ‘all the king’s sons have died,’ for only Amnon has died.”

³⁴ Then ^(Z)Absalom fled. And ^(AA)the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. ³⁵ And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; according to your servant’s word, so it happened.” ³⁶ As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept ^[o]very bitterly.

³⁷ Now ^(AB)Absalom had fled and went to ^(AC)Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of ^(AD)Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ^38 (AE)So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years. ³⁹ And the heart of King David was consumed with going out to Absalom; for ^(AF)he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he had died.

The Woman of Tekoa

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that ^(AG)the king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. ² So Joab sent to ^(AH)Tekoa and ^[p]brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not ^(AI)anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; ³ then you shall go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put ^(AJ)the words in her mouth.

⁴ So the woman of Tekoa ^[q]spoke to the king, and she fell on her ^[r]face to the ground and ^(AK)prostrated herself and said, “^(AL)Save, O king.” ⁵ And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she ^[s]answered, “Truly I am a widow; my husband has died. ⁶ And your servant-woman had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no one to deliver between them, so one struck the other and put him to death. ⁷ And behold, ^(AM)the whole family has risen against your servant-woman, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, ^(AN)and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which remains, so as to ^[t]leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

⁸ Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.” ⁹ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, ^(AO)the iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but ^(AP)the king and his throne are guiltless.” ¹⁰ So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.” ¹¹ Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, ^(AQ)so that the avenger of blood will not continue to bring about ruin, so that they would not destroy my son.” And he said, “^(AR)As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

¹² Then the woman said, “Please let your servant-woman speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” ¹³ Then the woman said, “^(AS)Why then have you thought up such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back ^(AT)his banished one. ¹⁴ For ^(AU)we will surely die and are ^(AV)like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but thinks up ^[u]ways so that ^(AW)the banished one will not be cast out from him. ¹⁵ So now, ^[v]the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant-woman said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the word of his maidservant. ¹⁶ For the king will listen ^[w]and deliver his maidservant from the ^[x]hand of the man who would destroy ^[y]both me and my son from ^(AX)the inheritance of God.’ ¹⁷ Then your servant-woman said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be a resting place, for as ^(AY)the angel of God, so is my lord the king to listen with discernment through the good and evil. And may Yahweh your God be with you.’”

¹⁸ Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” ¹⁹ So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was ^(AZ)your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant-woman; ²⁰ in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, ^(BA)like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”

David Brings Back Absalom

²¹ Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, ^(BB)I have done this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.” ²² And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the word of his servant.” ²³ So Joab arose and went to ^(BC)Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ²⁴ However the king said, “Let him turn to ^(BD)his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

²⁵ Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; ^(BE)from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no defect in him. ²⁶ When he ^(BF)shaved the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it, for it was heavy on him so he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at ^[z]200 shekels by the king’s weight. ^27 (BG)And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was ^(BH)Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

²⁸ Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, ^(BI)and did not see the king’s face. ²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come. ³⁰ Therefore he said to his servants, “See, ^(BJ)Joab’s portion of land is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the portion of land on fire. ³¹ Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my portion of land on fire?” ³² And Absalom ^[aa]answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ So now, let me see the king’s face, ^(BK)and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” ³³ So Joab came to the king and told him, and he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his ^[ab]face to the ground before the king, and ^(BL)the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 Now it happened afterwards, that ^(BM)Absalom prepared for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him. ² And Absalom used to rise early and ^(BN)stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a case to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “See, ^(BO)your words are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.” ⁴ Then Absalom would say, “^(BP)Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any case or judgment could come to me and I would justify him.” ⁵ And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would send forth his hand and take hold of him and ^(BQ)kiss him. ⁶ In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; ^(BR)so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ Now it happened at the end of ^[ac]forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to Yahweh, in ^(BS)Hebron. ⁸ For your servant ^(BT)vowed a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘^(BU)If Yahweh shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’” ⁹ And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. ¹⁰ Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘^(BV)Absalom is king in Hebron.’” ¹¹ Now two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, ^(BW)who were invited and ^(BX)went ^[ad]innocently, and they did not know anything. ¹² And Absalom sent for ^(BY)Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city ^(BZ)Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for ^(CA)the people increased continually with Absalom.

David Flees Jerusalem

¹³ Then an informant came to David, saying, “^(CB)The hearts of the men of Israel ^[ae]have followed Absalom.” ¹⁴ So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “^(CC)Arise and let us flee, for otherwise there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go in haste, lest he overtake us hastily and drive calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” ¹⁵ Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” ¹⁶ So the king went out and all his household ^[af]with him. But ^(CD)the king left ten concubines to keep the house. ¹⁷ And the king went out and all the people ^[ag]with him, and they stopped at the last house. ¹⁸ Now all his servants passed on beside him, ^(CE)all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, ^(CF)six hundred men who had come ^[ah]with him from Gath, passed on before the king.

¹⁹ Then the king said to ^(CG)Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. ²⁰ You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us, going about, while ^(CH)I go where I go? Return and cause your brothers to return; ^(CI)lovingkindness and ^[ai]truth be with you.” ²¹ But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely ^(CJ)wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” ²² So David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. ²³ While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over ^(CK)the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward ^(CL)the way of the wilderness.

²⁴ Now behold, ^(CM)Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him ^(CN)carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and ^(CO)Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. ²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of Yahweh, then ^(CP)He will cause me to return and show me both it and ^(CQ)His habitation. ²⁶ But if He should say thus, ‘^(CR)I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, ^(CS)let Him do to me as seems good in His sight.” ²⁷ The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not ^(CT)a seer? Return to the city in peace and your ^(CU)two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸ See, I am going to wait ^(CV)at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

³⁰ But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and ^(CW)his head was covered and he was walking ^(CX)barefoot. And all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. ³¹ Now David informed them, saying, “^(CY)Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Yahweh, I pray, ^(CZ)make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”

³² Then it happened that as David was coming to the summit, where he used to worship God, that behold, Hushai the ^(DA)Archite met him with his ^[aj]coat torn and ^[ak]dust on his head. ³³ And David said to him, “If you pass over with me, then you will be ^(DB)a burden to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city, and ^(DC)say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. ³⁵ Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that ^(DD)whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall inform Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶ Behold, ^(DE)their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and ^(DF)by their hand you shall send me everything that you hear.” ³⁷ So Hushai, ^(DG)David’s friend, came into the city, and ^(DH)Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Ziba Meets David

16 Now David had passed ^(DI)a little beyond the summit, and behold, ^(DJ)Ziba the young man of Mephibosheth met him ^(DK)with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. ² And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “^(DL)The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, ^(DM)for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.” ³ Then the king said, “And where is ^(DN)your master’s son?” And ^(DO)Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my father to me.’” ⁴ So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ And King David came to ^(DP)Bahurim, and behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul ^(DQ)whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out ^(DR)cursing continually as he came. ⁶ He also threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left. ⁷ And thus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, ^(DS)you man of bloodshed, and vile fellow! ^8 (DT)Yahweh has returned upon you all ^(DU)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

⁹ Then ^(DV)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should ^(DW)this dead dog ^(DX)curse my lord the king? Let me pass over now and remove his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “^(DY)What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? ^(DZ)If he curses, and if Yahweh has told him, ‘Curse David,’ ^(EA)then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, ^(EB)my son who came forth from my body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, ^(EC)for Yahweh has told him. ¹² Perhaps Yahweh will look on my affliction and ^[al](ED)return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” ¹³ So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. ¹⁴ Then the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there.

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

^15 (EE)Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶ And it happened that when ^(EF)Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that ^(EG)Hushai said to Absalom, “^(EH)Long live the king! Long live the king!” ¹⁷ And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your lovingkindness to your friend? ^(EI)Why did you not go with your friend?” ¹⁸ Then Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whom Yahweh, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹ Besides, ^(EJ)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” ²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “^(EK)Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, ^(EL)and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines ^(EM)in the sight of all Israel. ^23 (EN)Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; ^(EO)so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.

Absalom Calls for Hushai’s Counsel

17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. ^2 (EP)And I will come upon him while he is weary with his hands falling limp and throw him into utter fright, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then ^(EQ)I will strike down the king alone, ³ and I will cause all the people to return to you. ^[am]The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at ^(ER)peace.” ⁴ And the word was right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

⁵ Then Absalom said, “Call now ^(ES)Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what is also in his mouth.” ⁶ Then Hushai came to Absalom. And Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken ^[an]thus. Shall we ^[ao]carry out his word? If not, you speak.” ⁷ And Hushai said to Absalom, “^(ET)This time the counsel that Ahithophel has counseled is not good.” ⁸ Then Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are bitter of soul, ^(EU)like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not spend the night with the people. ⁹ Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the ^[ap]caves or in another place; and it will be ^[aq]when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ ¹⁰ And even the one who is a man of valor, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, ^(EV)will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are men of valor. ¹¹ But I counsel that all Israel be utterly gathered to you, ^(EW)from Dan even to Beersheba, ^(EX)as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that ^[ar]you personally go into battle. ¹² So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will set down on him ^(EY)as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. ¹³ If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall carry ropes to that city, and we will ^(EZ)drag it into the ^[as]valley until not even a small stone is found there.” ¹⁴ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For ^(FA)Yahweh had ^[at]ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that Yahweh might bring calamity on Absalom.

Hushai Informs David

¹⁵ Then ^(FB)Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “^[au]This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and ^[av]this is what I have counseled. ¹⁶ So now, send quickly and inform David, saying, ‘^(FC)Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” ^17 (FD)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at ^(FE)En-rogel, and a servant-woman would go and inform them, and they would go and inform King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸ But a boy did see them and informed Absalom; so the two of them went quickly and came to the house of a man ^(FF)in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down ^[aw]into it. ¹⁹ And ^(FG)the woman ^[ax]took a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered crushed grain on it, so that nothing was known. ²⁰ Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And ^(FH)the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ Now it happened after they went away, that they came up out of the well and went and informed King David; and they said to David, “^(FI)Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” ²² Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by ^[ay]dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.

²³ Now Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not ^[az]followed. So he ^[ba]saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to ^(FJ)his city, and ^[bb](FK)set his house in order, and ^(FL)strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

²⁴ Now David came to ^(FM)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵ And Absalom set ^(FN)Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was ^[bc]Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of ^(FO)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ Now it happened that when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi ^(FP)the son of Nahash from ^(FQ)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, ^(FR)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and ^(FS)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, ²⁸ brought ^(FT)beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted seeds, ²⁹ honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, ^(FU)to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Joab Puts Absalom to Death

18 Then David ^[bd]numbered the people who were with him and ^(FV)set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² And David sent the people out, ^(FW)one-third 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 ^(FX)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” ³ But the people said, “^(FY)You should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not set their heart on us; even if half of us die, they will not set their heart on us. But now ^[be]you are worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.” ⁴ Then the king said to them, “Whatever is good in your sight I will do.” So ^(FZ)the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. ⁵ Then the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And ^(GA)all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders concerning Absalom.

⁶ Then the people went out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle took place in ^(GB)the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ And the people of Israel were ^[bf]defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. ⁸ And the battle there was scattered over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

⁹ Then Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And ^(GC)his head caught fast in the oak, so he was ^[bg]left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him passed onward. ¹⁰ Then 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 So the man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive one thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not send forth my hand against the king’s son; for ^(GD)in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘^[bh]Keep for me the young man Absalom!’ ¹³ Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and ^(GE)there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” ¹⁴ Then Joab said, “I will not wait around here before you.” ^(GF)So he took three ^[bi]spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the ^[bj]midst of the oak. ¹⁵ And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and put him to death.

¹⁶ Then ^(GG)Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. ¹⁷ And they took Absalom and cast him into ^[bk]a deep pit in the forest and ^(GH)set over him a very great heap of stones. And ^(GI)all Israel fled, each to his tent. ¹⁸ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ^(GJ)set up for himself a pillar which is in ^(GK)the King’s Valley, for he had said, “^(GL)I have no son ^[bl]to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

David Weeps Over Absalom

¹⁹ Then ^(GM)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and proclaim the good news to the king ^(GN)that Yahweh has judged to save him from the hand of his enemies.” ²⁰ But Joab said to him, “You are not the man for the good news this day, but you shall proclaim the good news another day; however, you shall not proclaim the good news today because the king’s son has died.” 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 ^(GO)you 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 the Cushite.

²⁴ Now ^(GP)David was sitting between the two gates; and ^(GQ)the 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 And 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 And the watchman said, “I see that the running of the first one ^(GR)is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^(GS)This is a good man and comes with good news.”

²⁸ And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “Peace!” And ^(GT)he prostrated himself before the king with his ^[bm]face to the ground. And he said, “^(GU)Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” ²⁹ Then the king said, “^(GV)Is there peace with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but ^(GW)I 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 ^(GX)Yahweh has judged to save you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” ³² Then the king said to the Cushite, “^(GY)Is there peace with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^(GZ)Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”

^33 [bn]Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “^(HA)O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^(HB)Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”