David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth a third
part of the people 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. But the people answered, 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 now thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is
better that thou succor us out of the city. And the king said unto them,
What seemeth you best, I will do.
And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by
hundreds and by thousands. And 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.
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was
in the wood of Ephraim; where the people of Israel were slain before the
servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of
twenty thousand men. For the battle was there scattered over the face of
all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword
devoured.
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a 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 the heaven and the earth; and
the mule that was under him went away.
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom
hanged in an oak. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold,
thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and
I would have given thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle. And the man
said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels 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. Otherwise, I should have wrought
falsehood against mine own life; for there is no matter hid from the king,
and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself against me.
Then 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. And ten young men that bare Joab's armor,
compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew the
trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held
back the people.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid
a very great heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled, everyone to his
tent. Now Absalom, in his lifetime, had taken and reared up for himself a
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 unto this day, Absalom's Place.
Then said Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king
tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said
unto him, Thou shalt not bear 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. Then said Joab to Cushi, Go, tell the king what thou
hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let
me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou
run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? But howsoever, said
he, let me run. And he said unto him, run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of
the plain, and overran Cushi.
And David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof
over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and
behold, a man running alone. And 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.
And 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. And the watchman said, Methinketh 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.
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down
to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord
thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against
my lord the king. And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And
Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I
saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. And the king said unto
him, Turn aside and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings my lord the king; for the
Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. And
the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi
answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee
to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
And 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 God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
--II Samuel, Chap. xviii.