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. [care...: Heb. set their heart on us] [worth...: Heb. as ten thousand of us] [succour: Heb. be to succour or help]
			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# . [devoured: Heb. multiplied to devour]
			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. [receive: Heb. weigh upon mine hand] [Beware...: Heb. Beware whosoever ye be of, etc]
			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. [with...: Heb. before thee] [midst: Heb. heart]
			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# # . [avenged...: Heb. judged him from the hand, etc]
			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# . [bear tidings this: Heb. be a man of tidings, etc]
			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# ? [howsoever: Heb. be what may] [ready: or, convenient]
			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. [Me...: Heb. I see the running]
			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. [All...: or, Peace be to thee: Heb. Peace] [delivered...: Heb. shut up]
			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 . [Is...: Heb. Is there peace?]
			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. [Tidings: Heb. Tidings is brought]
			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!