18:1
The Battle in the Wood of Aphrayiym and the Death of Abshalum
And Dawid numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
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2 Shamu'al 18
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And Dawid sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Yoab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Yoab'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."
18:3
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 succor us out of the city."
18:4
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.
18:5
The Carnal Command of the King
And the king commanded Yoab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Abshalum." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Abshalum.
18:6
The Environmental Override
So the people went out into the field against Yashar'al: and the battle was in the wood of Aphrayiym;
18:7
Where the people of Yashar'al were slain before the servants of Dawid, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
18:8
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.
18:9
The Snare of the Great Oak
And Abshalum met the servants of Dawid. And Abshalum 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.
18:10
And a certain man saw it, and told Yoab, and said, "Behold, I saw Abshalum hanged in an oak."
18:11
And Yoab 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."
18:12
And the man said unto Yoab, "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 Abshalum."
18:13
"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."
18:14
The Execution of the Usurper
Then said Yoab, "I may not tarry thus with thee." And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Abshalum, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
18:15
And ten young men that bore Yoab's armor compassed about and smote Abshalum, and slew him.
18:16
The Cessation of the Civil War
And Yoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Yashar'al: for Yoab held back the people.
18:17
The Monument of Shame
And they took Abshalum, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Yashar'al fled every one to his tent.
18:18
Now Abshalum 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, Abshalum's place.
18:19
The Couriers of the Vanguard
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Tzadok, "Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 hath avenged him of his enemies."
18:20
And Yoab 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."
18:21
Then said Yoab to Cushi, "Go tell the king what thou hast seen." And Cushi bowed himself unto Yoab, and ran.
18:22
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Tzadok yet again to Yoab, "But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi." And Yoab said, "Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?"
18:23
"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.
18:24
The Watchman at the Gate
And Dawid 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.
18:25
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.
18:26
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."
18:27
And the watchman said, "Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Tzadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings."
18:28
The Report of Ahimaaz
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 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 thy Alahiym, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my adun the king."
18:29
And the king said, "Is the young man Abshalum safe?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Yoab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was."
18:30
And the king said unto him, "Turn aside, and stand here." And he turned aside, and stood still.
18:31
The Report of Cushi
And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, "Tidings, my adun the king: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee."
18:32
And the king said unto Cushi, "Is the young man Abshalum safe?" And Cushi answered, "The enemies of my adun the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."
18:33
The Agony of the Father
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 Abshalum, my son, my son Abshalum! would Alahiym I had died for thee, O Abshalum, my son, my son!"