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2 Samuel 18
Legacy Standard Bible

Joab Puts Absalom to Death

18 Then David [a]numbered the people who were with him and (A)set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people out, (B)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 (C)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “(D)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 [b]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 (E)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 (F)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 (G)the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were [c]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 (H)his head caught fast in the oak, so he was [d]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 (I)in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘[e]Keep for me the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and (J)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.” (K)So he took three [f]spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the [g]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 (L)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 [h]a deep pit in the forest and (M)set over him a very great heap of stones. And (N)all Israel fled, each to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and (O)set up for himself a pillar which is in (P)the King’s Valley, for he had said, “(Q)I have no son [i]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 (R)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and proclaim the good news to the king (S)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 (T)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 (U)David was sitting between the two gates; and (V)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 (W)is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “(X)This is a good man and comes with good news.”

28 And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “Peace!” And (Y)he prostrated himself before the king with his [j]face to the ground. And he said, “(Z)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, “(AA)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 (AB)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 (AC)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, “(AD)Is there peace with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “(AE)Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”

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

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 18:1 Lit mustered
  2. 2 Samuel 18:3 As in some ancient versions; M.T. for now there are ten thousand like us
  3. 2 Samuel 18:7 Lit smitten
  4. 2 Samuel 18:9 Lit placed
  5. 2 Samuel 18:12 As in some mss and the ancient versions; M.T. Take care whoever you are of
  6. 2 Samuel 18:14 Or rods
  7. 2 Samuel 18:14 Lit heart
  8. 2 Samuel 18:17 Lit the great
  9. 2 Samuel 18:18 Lit for the sake of remembering
  10. 2 Samuel 18:28 Lit nose
  11. 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19:1 in Heb
Close RSV

2 Samuel 18
Revised Standard Version

The Defeat and Death of Absalom

18 Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent forth the army, one third under the command of Jo′ab, one third under the command of Abi′shai the son of Zeru′iah, Jo′ab’s brother, and one third under the command of It′tai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us;[a] therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king ordered Jo′ab and Abi′shai and It′tai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Ab′salom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Ab′salom.

6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of E′phraim. 7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

9 And Ab′salom chanced to meet the servants of David. Ab′salom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging[b] between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Jo′ab, “Behold, I saw Ab′salom hanging in an oak.” 11 Jo′ab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a girdle.” 12 But the man said to Jo′ab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abi′shai and It′tai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Ab′salom.’ 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life[c] (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Jo′ab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Ab′salom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Jo′ab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Ab′salom and struck him, and killed him.

16 Then Jo′ab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel; for Jo′ab restrained them. 17 And they took Ab′salom, and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18 Now Ab′salom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar 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 it is called Ab′salom’s monument to this day.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 Then said Ahi′ma-az the son of Zadok, “Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies.” 20 And Jo′ab said to him, “You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall carry no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Jo′ab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Jo′ab, and ran. 22 Then Ahi′ma-az the son of Zadok said again to Jo′ab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Jo′ab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the tidings?” 23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahi′ma-az ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth.” And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings tidings.” 27 And the watchman said, “I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahi′ma-az the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.”

28 Then Ahi′ma-az cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Ab′salom?” Ahi′ma-az answered, “When Jo′ab sent your servant,[d] I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.” 30 And the king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned aside, and stood still.

David Mourns for Absalom

31 And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the power of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Ab′salom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man.” 33 [e] And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Ab′salom, my son, my son Ab′salom! Would I had died instead of you, O Ab′salom, my son, my son!”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 18:3 Gk Vg Symmachus: Heb for now there are ten thousand such as we
  2. 2 Samuel 18:9 Gk Syr Tg: Heb was put
  3. 2 Samuel 18:13 Another reading is at the risk of my life
  4. 2 Samuel 18:29 Heb the king’s servant, your servant
  5. 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19.1 in Heb
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