2 Samuel 18 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Joab Puts Absalom to Death

Then David^H1732 [fn]numbered^H6485 the people^H5971 who^H834 were with him and set^H7760 over^H5921 them commanders^H8269 of thousands^H505 and commanders^H8269 of hundreds^H3967.

2Sa 18:2

2Sa 18:2And David sent the people out, 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 Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.”

2Sa 18:3

2Sa 18:3But the people said, “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 [fn]you are worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.”

2Sa 18:4

2Sa 18:4Then the king said to them, “Whatever is good in your sight I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.

2Sa 18:5

2Sa 18:5Then the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders concerning Absalom.

2Sa 18:6

Then the people^H5971 went^H3318 out^H3318 into the field^H7704 to meet^H7122 Israel^H3478, and the battle^H4421 took^H1961 place^H1961 in the forest^H3293 of Ephraim^H669.

2Sa 18:7

2Sa 18:7And the people of Israel were [fn]defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men.

2Sa 18:8

2Sa 18:8And the battle there was scattered over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

2Sa 18:9

Then Absalom^H53 happened to meet^H7122 the servants^H5650 of David^H1732. Now Absalom^H53 was riding^H7392 on his mule^H6505, and the mule^H6505 went^H935 under^H8478 the thick^H7730 branches^H7730 of a great^H1419 oak^H424. And his head^H7218 caught^H2388 fast^H2388 in the oak^H424, so he was [fn]left^H5414 hanging^H5414 between^H996 heaven^H8064 and earth^H776, while the mule^H6505 that was under^H8478 him passed^H5674 onward.

2Sa 18:10

2Sa 18:10Then a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

2Sa 18:11

2Sa 18:11Then 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.”

2Sa 18:12

2Sa 18:12So 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 in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘[fn]Keep for me the young man Absalom!’

2Sa 18:13

2Sa 18:13“Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”

2Sa 18:14

2Sa 18:14Then Joab said, “I will not wait around here before you.” So he took three [fn]spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the [fn]midst of the oak.

2Sa 18:15

2Sa 18:15And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and put him to death.

2Sa 18:16

Then Joab^H3097 blew^H8628 the trumpet^H7782, and the people^H5971 returned^H7725 from pursuing^H7291 Israel^H3478, for Joab^H3097 restrained^H2820 the people^H5971.

2Sa 18:17

2Sa 18:17And they took Absalom and cast him into [fn]a deep pit in the forest and set over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.

2Sa 18:18

2Sa 18:18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son [fn]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

2Sa 18:19

Then Ahimaaz^H290 the son^H1121 of Zadok^H6659 said^H559, “Please^H4994 let me run^H7323 and proclaim^H1319 the good^H1319 news^H1319 to the king^H4428 that Yahweh^H3068 has judged^H8199 to save him from the hand^H3027 of his enemies^H340.”

2Sa 18:20

2Sa 18:20But 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.”

2Sa 18:21

2Sa 18:21Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

2Sa 18:22

2Sa 18:22Now 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 you will have no reward for going?”

2Sa 18:23

2Sa 18:23“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.

2Sa 18:24

Now David^H1732 was sitting^H3427 between^H996 the two^H8147 gates^H8179; and the watchman^H6822 went^H1980 up to the roof^H1406 of the gate^H8179 by the wall^H2346, and raised^H5375 his eyes^H5869 and looked^H7200, and behold^H2009, a man^H376 running^H7323 by^H905 himself^H905.

2Sa 18:25

2Sa 18:25And 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.

2Sa 18:26

2Sa 18:26Then 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.”

2Sa 18:27

2Sa 18:27And the watchman said, “I see that the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “This is a good man and comes with good news.”

2Sa 18:28

And Ahimaaz^H290 called^H7121 and said^H559 to the king^H4428, “Peace^H7965!” And he prostrated^H2331 himself before the king^H4428 with his [fn]face^H639 to the ground^H776. And he said^H559, “Blessed^H1288 is Yahweh^H3068 your God^H430, who^H834 has delivered^H5462 up^H5462 the men^H376 who^H834 lifted^H5375 their hands^H3027 against my lord^H113 the king^H4428.”

2Sa 18:29

2Sa 18:29Then the king said, “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 I did not know what it was.”

2Sa 18:30

2Sa 18:30Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

2Sa 18:31

Behold^H2009, the Cushite^H3569 arrived^H935, and the Cushite^H3569 said^H559, “Let my lord^H113 the king^H4428 receive^H1319 good^H1319 news^H1319, for Yahweh^H3068 has judged^H8199 to save you this day^H3117 from the hand^H3027 of all^H3605 those who rose^H6965 up^H6965 against^H5921 you.”

2Sa 18:32

2Sa 18:32Then the king said to the Cushite, “Is there peace with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”

2Sa 18:33

[fn]Then the king^H4428 trembled^H7264 and went^H5927 up^H5927 to the chamber^H5944 over^H5944 the gate^H8179 and wept^H1058. And thus^H3541 he said^H559 as he walked^H1980, “O my son^H1121 Absalom^H53, my son^H1121, my son^H1121 Absalom^H53! Would^H4310^H5414 I had died^H4191 instead^H8478 of^H8478 you, O Absalom^H53, my son^H1121, my son^H1121!”