1 AND David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 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.
3 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 succour us out of the city.
4 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.
5 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.
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11 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.
12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine 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.
13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.
14 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.
15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17 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 every one to his tent.
18 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.
19 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.
20 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.
21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
22 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?
23 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.
24 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.
25 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.
26 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.
27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh 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.
28 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.
29 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.
30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31 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.
32 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.
33 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!

1And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds ouer them.

2And Dauid sent forth a third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and a third part vnder the hand of Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah Ioabs brother, and a third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite: and the king said vnto the people, I will surely goe foorth with you my selfe also.

3But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not care for vs, neither if halfe of vs die will they care for vs: but now thou art worth ten thousand of vs: therfore now it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.

4And the King sayde vnto them, What seemeth you best, I will doe. And the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds, and by thousands.

5And the king commanded Ioab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deale gently for my sake with the yong man, euen with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gaue all the captaines charge concerning Absalom.

6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim,

7Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

8For the battell was there scattered ouer the face of all the countrey: and the wood deuoured more people that day, then the sword deuoured.

9 And Absalom met the seruants of Dauid; and Absalom rode vpon a mule, and the mule went vnder the thicke boughs of a great Oke, and his head caught hold of the Oke, and hee was taken vp betweene the heauen and the earth, and the mule that was vnder him, went away.

10And a certaine man saw it, and told Ioab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an Oke.

11And Ioab said vnto the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground, and I would haue giuen thee tenne shekels of siluer, and a girdle?

12And the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousand shekels of siluer in mine hand, yet would I not put foorth mine hand against the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the yong man Absalom.

13Otherwyse, I should haue wrought falshood against mine owne life: for there is no matter hid from the King, and thou thy selfe wouldest haue set thy selfe against me.

14Then said Ioab, I may not tary thus with thee. And hee tooke three darts in his hand, and thrust them thorow the heart of Absalom, while hee was yet aliue in the midst of the Oke.

15And ten yong men that bare Ioabs armour, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

16And Ioab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Ioab helde backe the people.

17And they tooke Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and layd a very great heape of stones vpon him: and all Israel fled euery one to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared vp for himselfe a pillar, which is in the Kings dale: for hee said, I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance: And hee called the pillar after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day, Absaloms place.

19 Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, Let mee now runne, and beare the King tidings, how that the Lord hath auenged him of his enemies.

20And Ioab said vnto him, Thou shalt not beare tidings this day, but thou shalt beare tidings another day: but this day thou shalt beare no tidings, because the Kings sonne is dead.

21Then said Ioab to Cushi, Goe tell the King what thou hast seene. And Cushi bowed himselfe vnto Ioab, and ranne.

22Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok yet againe to Ioab, But howsoeuer, let mee, I pray thee, also runne after Cushi. And Ioab said, Wherefore wilt thou runne, my sonne, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

23But howsoeuer, (said he) let mee runne: And hee said vnto him, Runne. Then Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the plaine, and ouerranne Cushi.

24And Dauid sate betweene the two gates: and the watchman went vp to the roofe ouer the gate vnto the wall, and lift vp his eyes, and looked, and behold, a man running alone.

25And the watchman cried, and told the King. And the king said, If he bee alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew neere.

26And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called vnto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the King said, He also bringeth tidings.

27And the watchman said, Mee thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok. And the King said, Hee is a good man, and commeth with good tidings.

28And Ahimaaz called, and said vnto the King, All is well. And hee fell downe to the earth vpon his face before the King, and saide, Blessed bee the Lord thy God which hath deliuered vp the men that lift vp their hande against my lord the King.

29And the king said, Is the yong man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Ioab sent the kings seruant, and me thy seruant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

30And the king said vnto him, Turne aside and stand here. And hee turned aside, and stood still.

31And behold, Cushi came, and Cushi said, Tidings my lord the king: for the Lord hath auenged thee this day of all them that rose vp against thee.

32And the king said vnto Cushi, Is the yong man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt, be as that yong man is.

33 And the king was much moued, and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus hee said, O my sonne Absalom, my sonne, my sonne Absalom: would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my sonne, my sonne.

 

 

II == 2nd Sam 15:19

 

 

 

 

III == 2nd Sam 21:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == 2nd Sam 18:12

 

 

 

VI == Josh 17:15 , 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII == 2nd Sam 18:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Josh 7:26

 

 

XVIII == Gen 14:17 ; 2nd Sam 14:27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == 2nd Kings 9:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIII == 2nd Sam 19:4

 

1 After mustering the troops he had with him, David placed officers in command of groups of a thousand and groups of a hundred.

2 David then put a third part of the soldiers under Joab's command, a third under command of Abishai, son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab, and a third under command of Ittai the Gittite. The king then said to the soldiers, "I intend to go out with you myself."

3 But they replied: "You must not come out with us. For if we should flee, we shall not count; even if half of us should die, we shall not count. You are equal to ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that we have you to help us from the city."

4 So the king said to them, "I will do what you think best"; and he stood by the gate as all the soldiers marched out in units of a hundred and of a thousand.

5 But the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai and Ittai: "Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake." All the soldiers heard the king instruct the various leaders with regard to Absalom.

6 David's army then took the field against Israel, and a battle was fought in the forest near Mahanaim.

7 The forces of Israel were defeated by David's servants, and the casualties there that day were heavy - twenty thousand men.

8 The battle spread out over that entire region, and the thickets consumed more combatants that day than did the sword.

9 Absalom unexpectedly came up against David's servants. He was mounted on a mule, and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth, his hair caught fast in the tree. He hung between heaven and earth while the mule he had been riding ran off.

10 Someone saw this and reported to Joab that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.

11 Joab said to his informant: "If you saw him, why did you not strike him to the ground on the spot? Then it would have been my duty to give you fifty pieces of silver and a belt."

12 But the man replied to Joab: "Even if I already held a thousand pieces of silver in my two hands, I would not harm the king's son, for the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai in our hearing to protect the youth Absalom for his sake.

13 Had I been disloyal and killed him, the whole matter would have come to the attention of the king, and you would stand aloof."

14 Joab replied, "I will not waste time with you in this way." And taking three pikes in hand, he thrust for the heart of Absalom, still hanging from the tree alive.

15 Next, ten of Joab's young armor-bearers closed in on Absalom, and killed him with further blows.

16 Joab then sounded the horn, and the soldiers turned back from the pursuit of the Israelites, because Joab called on them to halt.

17 Absalom was taken up and cast into a deep pit in the forest, and a very large mound of stones was erected over him. And all the Israelites fled to their own tents.

18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it for himself in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to perpetuate my name." The pillar which he named for himself is called Yadabshalom to the present day.

19 Then Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, "Let me run to take the good news to the king that the LORD has set him free from the grasp of his enemies."

20 But Joab said to him: "You are not the man to bring the news today. On some other day you may take the good news, but today you would not be bringing good news, for in fact the king's son is dead."

21 Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed to Joab and sped away.

22 But Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said to Joab again, "Come what may, permit me also to run after the Cushite." Joab replied: "Why do you want to run, my son? You will receive no reward."

23 But he insisted, "Come what may, I want to run." Joab said to him, "Very well." Ahimaaz sped off by way of the Jordan plain and outran the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and a lookout mounted to the roof of the gate above the city wall, where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.

25 The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said, "If he is alone, he has good news to report." As he kept coming nearer,

26 the lookout spied another runner. From his place atop the gate he cried out, "There is another man running by himself." And the king responded, "He, too, is bringing good news."

27 Then the lookout said, "I notice that the first one runs like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok." The king replied, "He is a good man; he comes with good news."

28 Then Ahimaaz called out and greeted the king. With face to the ground he paid homage to the king and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king."

29 But the king asked, "Is the youth Absalom safe?" And Ahimaaz replied, "I saw a great disturbance when the king's servant Joab sent your servant on, but I do not know what it was."

30 The king said, "Step aside and remain in attendance here." So he stepped aside and remained there.

31 When the Cushite came in, he said, "Let my lord the king receive the good news that this day the LORD has taken your part, freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you."

32 But the king asked the Cushite, "Is young Absalom safe?" The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rebel against you with evil intent be as that young man!"

v 1-5. David by now had a large army and did not wait for siege, but made a three pronged attack. Ittai, who had refused to depart from David, led one of the three units. The people insisted that David not go out to battle because he would be the one the enemy would try to kill. All the people heard him give orders to deal gently with Absalom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 6-8. David’s army killed 20,000 men, and the pits and entanglements in the forest caused even more than that to die. Perhaps also wild beasts.

 

 

 

 

v 9-17. Absalom’s long hair was his downfall, as apparently it caused him to be hung up in a tree where he could not release himself. The man who found him in this condition was rebuked by Joab for not killing him, but he protested that Joab would have taken his life if he had. Joab did not deny this, but went and thrust three staves into Absalom’s heart while he hung there, and ten of Joab’s helpers made sure he was dead. Then Joab blew the trumpet to cease fighting, and they threw Absalom into one of the pits and covered him with stones, not so much to remember Absalom as to remember his deed. Joab disobeyed a direct order from David, but he was realistic, and his action brought a quick end to the battle and saved many lives. David’s emotions got ahead of better judgment in trying to win, yet spare Absalom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 18. They needed not a burial stone, because Absalom, in his pride, had already erected a monument to himself. Apparently his three sons, 14:27, had died earlier. He also had a daughter. The stone was one piece of marble thirty feet high. Therre is a pile of stones where people passing throw  for his dishonor to parent.

v 19-32. Ahimaaz was a fast runner who was accustomed to bring good news, so he was refrained from running. After the Cushite left, he continued to beg to be allowed to run, and Joab finally let him go. Being a faster runner and choosing a better route, he arrived first at the watch towers over the two gates where David waited with the sentinel. Ahimaaz simply disclosed that the battle had gone well for David. He gave a white lie, when asked specifically about Absalom. When the Cushite runner arrived, he gave a forthright answer indicating that Absalom was dead. v 32. David was aware that the sword of God had struck the third time according to his own judgment in 12:6. Love for sons is understandable, but his overwhelming love for this worthless young man is not. Perhaps David felt that unlike the child who died, Absalom had not gone to the place where David would see him again, 12:23.