Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of hundreds and of thousands over them.

1David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them.

2He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, "I will also march out with you.""

2He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, “I am going out with you.”

3You must not go!" the people pleaded. "If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth 10,000 of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.""

3But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us, and it is better that you stay here in the town and send help if we need it.”

4I will do whatever you think is best," the king replied to them. So he stood beside the gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands.

4“If you think that’s the best plan, I’ll do it,” the king answered. So he stood alongside the gate of the town as all the troops marched out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.

5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake." All the people heard the king's orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

5And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.

6Then David's forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.

6So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim,

7The people of Israel were defeated by David's soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day--20,000 casualties.

7and the Israelite troops were beaten back by David’s men. There was a great slaughter that day, and 20,000 men laid down their lives.

8The battle spread over the entire region, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.

8The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.

9Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David's soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom's head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.

9During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air.

10One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!""

10One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”

11You just saw him!" Joab exclaimed. "Why didn't you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you 10 silver pieces and a belt!"

11“What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt!”

12The man replied to Joab, "Even if I had the weight of 1,000 pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for me.'

12“I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver, ” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’

13If I had jeopardized my own life--and nothing is hidden from the king--you would have abandoned me."

13And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”

14Joab said, "I'm not going to waste time with you!" He then took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom's heart while he was still alive in the oak tree,

14“Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree.

15and 10 young men who were Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

15Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

16Afterward, Joab blew the ram's horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them.

16Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.

17They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.

17They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.

18When he was alive, Absalom had set up a pillar for himself in the King's Valley, for he had said, "I have no son to preserve the memory of my name." So he gave the pillar his name. It is still called Absalom's Monument today.

18During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day. David Mourns Absalom’s Death

19Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has delivered him from his enemies."

19Then Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run to the king with the good news that the LORD has rescued him from his enemies.”

20Joab replied to him, "You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren't taking good news, because the king's son is dead."

20“No,” Joab told him, “it wouldn’t be good news to the king that his son is dead. You can be my messenger another time, but not today.”

21Joab then said to the Cushite, "Go tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

21Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The man bowed and ran off.

22However, Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted and said to Joab, "No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!" Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to run since you won't get a reward?""

22But Ahimaaz continued to plead with Joab, “Whatever happens, please let me go, too.” “Why should you go, my son?” Joab replied. “There will be no reward for your news.”

23No matter what, I want to run!"" Then run!" Joab said to him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

23“Yes, but let me go anyway,” he begged. Joab finally said, “All right, go ahead.” So Ahimaaz took the less demanding route by way of the plain and ran to Mahanaim ahead of the Ethiopian.

24David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.

24While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the town, the watchman climbed to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked, he saw a lone man running toward them.

25He called out and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he bears good news." As the first runner came closer,

25He shouted the news down to David, and the king replied, “If he is alone, he has news.” As the messenger came closer,

26the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, "Look! Another man is running alone!"" This one is also bringing good news," said the king.

26the watchman saw another man running toward them. He shouted down, “Here comes another one!” The king replied, “He also will have news.”

27The watchman said, "The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs."" This is a good man; he comes with good news," the king commented.

27“The first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok,” the watchman said. “He is a good man and comes with good news,” the king replied.

28Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well," and then bowed down to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, "May the LORD your God be praised! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king."

28Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “Everything is all right!” He bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise to the LORD your God, who has handed over the rebels who dared to stand against my lord the king.”

29The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz replied, "When Joab sent the king's servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don't know what it was."

29“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?” Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of commotion. But I didn’t know what was happening.”

30The king said, "Move aside and stand here." So he stood to one side.

30“Wait here,” the king told him. So Ahimaaz stepped aside.

31Just then the Cushite came and said, "May my lord the king hear the good news: today the LORD has delivered you from all those rising up against you!"

31Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today the LORD has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.”

32The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" The Cushite replied, "May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you with evil intent."

32“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?” And the Ethiopian replied, “May all of your enemies, my lord the king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man!”

33The king was deeply moved and went up to the gate chamber and wept. As he walked, he cried, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!"

33 The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.