II Samuel 18 (kjv)

And David^H1732 numbered^H6485 the people^H5971 that were with him, and set^H7760 captains^H8269 of thousands^H505 and captains^H8269 of hundreds^H3967 over them.²And David^H1732 sent forth^H7971 a third part^H7992 of the people^H5971 under the hand^H3027 of Joab^H3097, and a third part^H7992 under the hand^H3027 of Abishai^H52 the son^H1121 of Zeruiah^H6870, Joab's^H3097 brother^H251, and a third part^H7992 under the hand^H3027 of Ittai^H863 the Gittite^H1663. And the king^H4428 said^H559 unto the people^H5971, I will surely^H3318 go forth^H3318 with you myself^H589 also.³But the people^H5971 answered^H559, Thou shalt not go forth^H3318: for if we flee^H5127 away^H5127, they will not care^{H7760 H3820} for us; neither if half^H2677 of us die^H4191, will they care^{H7760 H3820} for us: but now thou art worth^H3644 ten^H6235 thousand^H505 of us: therefore now it is better^H2896 that thou succour^{H5826 H5826} us out of the city^H5892.⁴And the king^H4428 said^H559 unto them, What seemeth^H5869 you best^H3190 I will do^H6213. And the king^H4428 stood^H5975 by the gate^H8179 side^H3027, and all the people^H5971 came out^H3318 by hundreds^H3967 and by thousands^H505.⁵And the king^H4428 commanded^H6680 Joab^H3097 and Abishai^H52 and Ittai^H863, saying^H559, Deal gently^H328 for my sake with the young man^H5288, even with Absalom^H53. And all the people^H5971 heard^H8085 when the king^H4428 gave all the captains^H8269 charge^H6680 concerning^H1697 Absalom^H53.

⁶So the people^H5971 went out^H3318 into the field^H7704 against^H7125 Israel^H3478: and the battle^H4421 was in the wood^H3293 of Ephraim^H669;⁷Where the people^H5971 of Israel^H3478 were slain^H5062 before^H6440 the servants^H5650 of David^H1732, and there was there a great^H1419 slaughter^H4046 that day^H3117 of twenty^H6242 thousand^H505 men.⁸For the battle^H4421 was there scattered^H6327 over the face^H6440 of all the country^H776: and the wood^H3293 devoured^H398 more^H7235 people^H5971 that day^H3117 than the sword^H2719 devoured^H398.

⁹And Absalom^H53 met^H7122 the servants^{H6440 H5650} of David^H1732. And Absalom^H53 rode^H7392 upon a mule^H6505, and the mule^H6505 went^H935 under the thick boughs^H7730 of a great^H1419 oak^H424, and his head^H7218 caught hold^H2388 of the oak^H424, and he was taken up^H5414 between the heaven^H8064 and the earth^H776; and the mule^H6505 that was under him went away^H5674.¹⁰And a certain^H259 man^H376 saw^H7200 it, and told^H5046 Joab^H3097, and said^H559, Behold, I saw^H7200 Absalom^H53 hanged^H8518 in an oak^H424.¹¹And Joab^H3097 said^H559 unto the man^H376 that told^H5046 him, And, behold, thou sawest^H7200 him, and why didst thou not smite^H5221 him there to the ground^H776? and I would have given^H5414 thee ten^H6235 shekels of silver^H3701, and a^H259 girdle^H2290.¹²And the man^H376 said^H559 unto Joab^H3097, Though^H3863 I should receive^H8254 a thousand^H505 shekels of silver^H3701 in mine hand^H3709, yet would I not put forth^H7971 mine hand^H3027 against the king's^H4428 son^H1121: for in our hearing^H241 the king^H4428 charged^H6680 thee and Abishai^H52 and Ittai^H863, saying^H559, Beware^H8104 that none touch the young man^H5288 Absalom^H53.¹³Otherwise^H176 I should have wrought^H6213 falsehood^H8267 against mine own life^H5315: for there is no matter^H1697 hid^H3582 from the king^H4428, and thou thyself wouldest have set^H3320 thyself against me.¹⁴Then said^H559 Joab^H3097, I may not tarry^H3176 thus with thee^H6440. And he took^H3947 three^H7969 darts^H7626 in his hand^H3709, and thrust^H8628 them through the heart^H3820 of Absalom^H53, while he was yet alive^H2416 in the midst of the oak^H424.¹⁵And ten^H6235 young men^H5288 that bare^H5375 Joab's^H3097 armour^H3627 compassed about^H5437 and smote^H5221 Absalom^H53, and slew^H4191 him.¹⁶And Joab^H3097 blew^H8628 the trumpet^H7782, and the people^H5971 returned^H7725 from pursuing^H7291 after^H310 Israel^H3478: for Joab^H3097 held back^H2820 the people^H5971.¹⁷And they took^H3947 Absalom^H53, and cast^H7993 him into a great^H1419 pit^H6354 in the wood^H3293, and laid^H5324 a very^H3966 great^H1419 heap^H1530 of stones^H68 upon him: and all Israel^H3478 fled^H5127 every one^H376 to his tent^H168.

¹⁸Now Absalom^H53 in his lifetime^H2416 had taken^H3947 and reared up^H5324 for himself a pillar^H4678, which is in the king's^H4428 dale^H6010: for he said^H559, I have no son^H1121 to keep my name^H8034 in remembrance^H2142: and he called^H7121 the pillar^H4678 after his own name^H8034: and it is called^H7121 unto this day^H3117, Absalom's^H53 place^H3027.

¹⁹Then said^H559 Ahimaaz^H290 the son^H1121 of Zadok^H6659, Let me now run^H7323, and bear^H1319 the king^H4428 tidings^H1319, how that the LORD^H3068 hath avenged^H8199 him of his enemies^{H3027 H341}.²⁰And Joab^H3097 said^H559 unto him, Thou^H376 shalt not bear tidings^H1309 this day^H3117, but thou shalt bear tidings^H1319 another^H312 day^H3117: but this day^H3117 thou shalt bear no tidings^H1319, because the king's^H4428 son^H1121 is dead^H4191.²¹Then said^H559 Joab^H3097 to Cushi^H3569, Go^H3212 tell^H5046 the king^H4428 what thou hast seen^H7200. And Cushi^H3569 bowed^H7812 himself unto Joab^H3097, and ran^H7323.²²Then said^H559 Ahimaaz^H290 the son^H1121 of Zadok^H6659 yet again^H3254 to Joab^H3097, But howsoever^H4100, let me, I pray thee, also run^H7323 after^H310 Cushi^H3569. And Joab^H3097 said^H559, Wherefore wilt thou run^H7323, my son^H1121, seeing that thou hast no tidings^H1309 ready^H4672?²³But howsoever, said he, let me run^H7323. And he said^H559 unto him, Run^H7323. Then Ahimaaz^H290 ran^H7323 by the way^H1870 of the plain^H3603, and overran^H5674 Cushi^H3569.²⁴And David^H1732 sat^H3427 between the two^H8147 gates^H8179: and the watchman^H6822 went up^H3212 to the roof^H1406 over the gate^H8179 unto the wall^H2346, and lifted up^H5375 his eyes^H5869, and looked^H7200, and behold a man^H376 running^H7323 alone.²⁵And the watchman^H6822 cried^H7121, and told^H5046 the king^H4428. And the king^H4428 said^H559, If he be alone, there is tidings^H1309 in his mouth^H6310. And he came^H3212 apace^H1980, and drew near^H7131.²⁶And the watchman^H6822 saw^H7200 another^H312 man^H376 running^H7323: and the watchman^H6822 called^H7121 unto the porter^H7778, and said^H559, Behold another man^H376 running^H7323 alone. And the king^H4428 said^H559, He also bringeth tidings^H1319.²⁷And the watchman^H6822 said^H559, Me thinketh^H7200 the running^H4794 of the foremost^H7223 is like the running^H4794 of Ahimaaz^H290 the son^H1121 of Zadok^H6659. And the king^H4428 said^H559, He is a good^H2896 man^H376, and cometh^H935 with good^H2896 tidings^H1309.²⁸And Ahimaaz^H290 called^H7121, and said^H559 unto the king^H4428, All is well^H7965. And he fell down^H7812 to the earth^H776 upon his face^H639 before the king^H4428, and said^H559, Blessed^H1288 be the LORD^H3068 thy God^H430, which hath delivered up^H5462 the men^H582 that lifted up^H5375 their hand^H3027 against my lord^H113 the king^H4428.²⁹And the king^H4428 said^H559, Is the young man^H5288 Absalom^H53 safe^H7965? And Ahimaaz^H290 answered^H559, When Joab^H3097 sent^H7971 the king's^H4428 servant^H5650, and me thy servant^H5650, I saw^H7200 a great^H1419 tumult^H1995, but I knew^H3045 not what it was.³⁰And the king^H4428 said^H559 unto him, Turn aside^H5437, and stand^H3320 here^H3541. And he turned aside^H5437, and stood still^H5975.³¹And, behold, Cushi^H3569 came^H935; and Cushi^H3569 said^H559, Tidings^H1319, my lord^H113 the king^H4428: for the LORD^H3068 hath avenged^H8199 thee this day^H3117 of all them^H3027 that rose up^H6965 against thee.³²And the king^H4428 said^H559 unto Cushi^H3569, Is the young man^H5288 Absalom^H53 safe^H7965? And Cushi^H3569 answered^H559, The enemies^H341 of my lord^H113 the king^H4428, and all that rise^H6965 against thee to do thee hurt^H7451, be as that young man^H5288 is.

³³And the king^H4428 was much moved^H7264, and went up^H5927 to the chamber^H5944 over the gate^H8179, and wept^H1058: and as he went^H3212, thus he said^H559, O my son^H1121 Absalom^H53, my son^H1121, my son^H1121 Absalom^H53! would God I had died^H4191 for thee^H5414, O Absalom^H53, my son^H1121, my son^H1121!