2Sa 18 | NASB2020 | STEP | Then David took a count of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds .

2 Samuel 18

Absalom Killed

1 Then David ^{▼▼Lit mustered}took a count of the people who were with him and ^bappointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people out, ^ca third ^{▼▼Lit by the hand of}under the command of Joab, a third ^{▼▼Lit by the hand of}under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third ^{▼▼Lit by the hand of}under the command of ^gIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will certainly go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “ ^hYou should not go out; for if in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But ^{▼▼As in some ancient versions; MT for now there are 10,000 like us}you are ^{▼▼Lit like us by 10,000}worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you will be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So ^kthe king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And ^lall the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.

6 Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in ^mthe forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were ^{▼▼Lit struck}defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then ^ohis head caught firmly in the oak, and he was ^{▼▼Lit placed}left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw him, he informed Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had informed him, “So behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been ^{▼▼Lit And upon me}my duty to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were to ^{▼▼Lit weigh}receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for ^sin our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘ ^{▼▼As in some mss and ancient versions; MT Protect, whoever you are, the}Protect the young man Absalom for me!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against ^{▼▼Another reading is my life; i.e., at the risk of my own life}his life (and ^vthere is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have ^{▼▼Lit stood aloof}avoided me.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not ^{▼▼Lit wait so with}waste time here with you.” ^ySo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the ^{▼▼Lit heart}midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then ^aaJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into ^{▼▼Lit the great}a deep pit in the forest, and ^acerected over him a very large pile of stones. And ^adall Israel fled, each to his own tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ^aeset up for himself a memorial stone, which is in ^afthe King’s Valley, for he said, “ ^agI have no son to ^{▼▼Lit bring to remembrance}continue my name.” So he named the memorial stone after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

David Is Grief-stricken

19 Then ^aiAhimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news ^ajthat the Lord has ^{▼▼Lit vindicated}freed him from the hand of his enemies!” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 However, 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 ^alyou will have no messenger’s 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 by the Cushite.

24 Now ^amDavid was sitting between the two gates; and ^anthe watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself. 25 So the watchman called out 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 is running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “I ^{▼▼Lit see}think the running form of the first one ^apis like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “ ^aqThis is a good man, and he is coming with good news.”

28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “ ^{▼▼Lit Peace; Heb Shalom}All is well.” And ^ashe prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “ ^atBlessed is the Lord your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” 29 But the king said, “ ^auIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but ^avI did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^awthe Lord has ^{▼▼Lit vindicated}freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “ ^ayIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “ ^azMay the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”

33 ^{▼▼Ch 19:1 in Heb}Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “ ^bbMy son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^bcIf only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”