Then David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

And David sent forth the people, one third by the hand of Joab, one third by the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will also go out with you.”

But the people said, “You shall not go out. For if we finally retreat, they will pay no attention to us. And if half of us are killed, they will not pay attention to us either. For now, you are able to assist like ten thousand of us. And now, it is better that you pray for us from the city in order to assist.”

The king said to them, “Whatever seems right in your sight I will do.” So the king stood on the path of the gateway, while all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about the sake of Absalom.

So the people went out into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of the House of Ephraim.

And the people of Israel were shattered there before the servants of David, and the stroke was great on that day, twenty thousand men.

There the wagers of war were scattered over the face of all the country; so the beasts of the forest killed more people than the sword killed that day.

And Absalom accidentally came in front of the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule went under the branch of a great terebinth, and his head was caught fast in the terebinth. And he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth.”

Joab said to the man who was telling him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there and throw him to the ground? I would have given you about ten selas of silver and one girdle.”

But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were feeling in my hands the weight of a thousand selas of silver, I would not stretch out my hand against the king’s son, for before us the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom.’

Or if I had dealt treacherously by myself, and there would be nothing hidden from the king, then you would have set yourself on the opposite side.

And Joab said, “Shall I not now begin before you?” And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive in the middle of the terebinth.

And ten young men, Joab’s armour bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.

Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people.

And they took Absalom, and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel retreated, every one to his own town.

Now Absalom 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 living son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Place to this day.

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, “Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the LORD has taken vengeance for him from the hand of his enemies.”

And Joab said to him, “You are not the right man to carry tidings this day, but you may carry tidings another day. On this day you have no other tidings but that the king’s son is dead.”

Then Joab said to Cushi, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after Cushi.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son? There are no tidings to be given.”

“Come what may, let me run.” And he said, “Run.”And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the valley, and outran Cushi.

Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, up to the wall. And when he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, a man running alone.

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 nearer and nearer.

And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper, and said, “Behold, a man running alone.” And the king said, “This one also carries tidings.”

And the watchman said, “I recognize the running of the foremost as the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and also carries good tidings.”

Then Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “Peace!” And he bowed to the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has surrendered the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”

And the king said, “It is well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz said, “After Joab, the king’s servant, sent your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

And the king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned aside, and stood still.

And behold, Cushi came. And Cushi said, “Tidings for my lord the king, for today the LORD has taken vengeance for you from the hand of all who rose against you.”

The king said to Cushi, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Cushi said, “May the haters of my lord the king, and all who rose against you for evil, be like the young man.”