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ULT 2SA Chapter 18

18 And David counted the people who were with him, and he appointed over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people—the third in the hand of Joab and the third in the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah the brother of Joab and the third in the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I will certainly go out, even I, with you.”

3 But the people said, “You will not go out, for if we certainly flee, they will not put a heart to us. But if half of us die, they will not put a heart to us, for you are, compared to us, 10,000. But now, it is better that you become help for us from the city.”

4 And the king said to them, “That which is good in your eyes, I will do.”

And the king stood to the hand of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Be gentle for me to the young man, to Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

6 And the people went out to the field to meet with Israel, and the war was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And there the people of Israel were struck before the servants of David. And there the defeat was great on that day—20,000. 8 And there the war was dispersed over the face of the whole land. And the forest consumed more among the people than that which the sword consumed on that day.

9 And Absalom was met to the face of the servants of David. And Absalom was riding on the donkey, and the donkey went under the branches of the large terebinth, and his head was caught on the terebinth, and he was given between the heavens and between the earth, and the donkey that was under him passed through.

10 And one person saw, and he informed Joab. And he said, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging on the terebinth.”

11 And Joab said to the person who informed him, “And look—you saw, but why did you not strike him there to the ground? It is to me to give to you ten silver and one belt.”

12 And the man said to Joab, “Even if I was weighing on my palm 1,000 silver, I would not have sent out my hand to the son of the king. For in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Guard for me the young man Absalom.’ 13 Or if I had done in my spirit a falsehood—and every matter is not hidden from the king—and you yourself would have stood from before me.”

14 And Joab said, “Not thus will I wait to your face.” And he took three spears in his palm, and he thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was living in the heart of the terebinth. 15 And ten young men, those who carried the weapons of Joab, surrounded. And they struck Absalom, and they killed him.

16 And Joab blasted on the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab kept the people back. 17 And they took Absalom, and they threw him in the forest into the large pit, and they stood on him a very large pile of stones. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.

18 And Absalom had taken and set up for himself when he was living a pillar which was in the Valley of the King, for he said, “There is no son for me for the sake of causing my name to be remembered.” And he called the pillar according to his name, and it is called the Hand of Absalom up to this day.

19 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please, let me run and let me bring news to the king, for Yahweh has judged him against the hand of his enemies.”

20 And Joab said to him, “You are not a man of news this day, but you will bring news another day. But this day, you will not bring news because the son of the king is dead.”

21 And Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, declare to the king what you saw.” And the Cushite prostrated himself to Joab, and he ran.

22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok continued again, and he said to Joab, “But whatever will be, please, let me run also myself after the Cushite.”

And Joab said, “Why is this that you will run, my son, and for you there is no news which finds a reward?”

23 “But whatever will be, let me run.”

And he said to him, “Run.” And Ahimaaz ran the way of the valley, and he passed by the Cushite.

24 And David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went to the roof of the gate to the wall, and he raised his eyes, and he saw, and look—a man was running by himself. 25 And the watchman called, and he informed the king, and the king said, “If he is by himself, news is in his mouth.” And he walked, walking and near.

26 And the watchman looked—another man was running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper, and he said, “Look, a man is running by himself.”

And the king said, “Also this person brings news.”

27 And the watchman said, “I am seeing the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”

And the king said, “This is a good man, and he comes with good news.”

28 And Ahimaaz called, and he said to the king, “Peace!” And he prostrated himself to the king with his nose to the ground. And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has shut up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”

29 And the king said, “Does peace belong to the young man, to Absalom?”

And Ahimaaz said, “I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the servant of the king and your servant, but I do not know what.”

30 And the king said, “Turn, stand thus.” And he turned, and he stood.

31 And look—the Cushite came. And the Cushite said, “May my lord the king receive news, for Yahweh has judged you today against the hand of all those who rose up against you.”

32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Does peace belong to the young man, to Absalom?”

And the Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rose up against you for evil be like the young man.”

33 And the king trembled, and he went up to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And thus he said when he went:

“My son Absalom!

My son, my son Absalom!

Who will give my dying—me instead of you?

Absalom my son, my son!”

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