2 Dauid deuideth his armie into thre partes. 9 Abſalóm is hanged ſlaine,and caſt in a pit 33 Dauid lamenteth the death of Abſalóm.

1.THen Dauid ^a nōbred the people that were with him, & ſet ouer them captaines of thouſands and captaines of hundreths.

2.And Dauid ſent forthe the third parte of the people vnder the hand of Ioáb, and the third parte vnder the hand of Abiſhái Ioábs brother the ſonne of Zeruiáh: and the other third parte vnder the hād of Ittái the Gittite. & the King ſaid vnto the people, I wil go with you my ſelfe alſo.

3.But the people anſwered, Thou ſhalt not go forthe: for if we flee away, they wil not regarde vs, nether wil they paſſe for vs, thogh halfe of vs were ſlaine : but thou ^b art now worthe tē thouſand of vs: therefore now it is better that thou ſuccour vs out of the citie,

4.Then the King ſaid vnto them, What ſemeth you beſt, that I wil do. So y^e King ſtode by the gate ſide, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thouſands.

5.And the King commanded Ioáb and Abiſhái, and Ittái, ſaying, Entreate the yong man Abſalóm gently for my ſake. and all the people hearde when the King gaue all the captaines charge concerning Abſalóm.

6.So the people went out into the field to meete Iſraél, & the battel was in y^e ^c wood of Ephráim:

7.Where the people of Iſraél were ſlaine before the ſeruants of Dauid: ſo there was a great ſlaughter that day, euen of twentie thouſand.

8.¶ For the battel was ſkatred ouer all the countrey: and the wood deuoured muche more people that day, then did the ſworde.

9.¶ Now Abſalóm met the ſeruants of Dauid, and Abſalóm rode vpon a mule, and the mule came vnder a great thicke oke: and his head caught holde of the oke, and he was taken vp ^f betwene the heauen and the earthe: & the mule that was vnder him went away.

10.And one that ſawe it, tolde Ioáb, ſaying, Beholde, I ſawe Abſalóm hanged in an oke.

11.Then Ioáb ſaid vnto the man that tolde him, And haſt thou in dede ſene him? why then dideſt not thou there ſmite him to the ground, and I wolde haue giuen thee ten ^* ſhekel, of ſiluer, and a girdle?

12.Then the man ſaid vnto Ioáb, Thogh I ſhulde ^" receiue a thouſand ſhekels of ſiluer in mine hād, yet wolde I not lay mine hād vpon the Kings ſonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abiſhái, & Ittái, ſaying, Beware, leſt anie touche the yong man Abſalóm.

13.If I had done it, it had bene the ^" danger of my life: for nothing can be hid frō the King : yea, y^u thy ſelfe woldeſt haue bene againſt me.

14.Then ſaid Ioáb, I wil not thus tary with thee. And he toke thre dartes in his hand, & thruſt them ^" through Abſalóm, while he was yet aliue in the middes of the oke.

15.And ten ſeruāts that bare Ioabs armour, compaſſed about and ſmote Abſalóm, and ſlewe him.

16.Then Ioáb ^d blewe the trumpet, and the people returned from purſuing after Iſraél: for Ioáb helde backe the people.

17.And they toke Abſalóm, and caſt him into a great ^e pit in the wood, and layed a mighty great heape of ſtones vpon him: and all Iſraél fled euerie one to his tent.

18.Now Abſalóm in his life time had takē and reared him vp a piller, which is in the ^* Kings dale : for he ſaid, I haue no ^f ſonne to kepe my name in remembrance. & he called y^e piller after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day, Abſaloms place.

19.¶ Then ſaid Ahimáaz the ſonne of Zadók, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lord hathe ^" deliuered him out of the hand of his enemies.

20.And Ioáb ſaid vnto him, Thou ſhalt ^g not be y^e meſſenger to day, but thou ſhalt beare tidings another time, but to day thou ſhalt beare none: for the Kings ſonne is dead.

21.Thē ſaid Ioáb to Cuſhí, Go, tel the Kīg, what thou haſt ſene. And Cuſhí bowed him ſelfe vnto Ioáb, and ran.

22.Thē ſaid Ahimáaz the ſonne of Zadók againe to Ioáb, What, I pray thee, if I alſo runne after Cuſhí? And Ioáb ſaid, Wherefore now wilt thou runne, my ſonne, ſeing that thou haſt no tidings to bring?

23.Yet what if I runne? Then he ſaid vnto him, Rūne. So Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the plaine, and ouerwent Cuſhí.

24.Now Dauid ſate betwene y^e two ^h gates. And the watcheman went to the toppe of the gate vpon the wall, & lift vp his eyes, and ſawe, and beholde, a man came rūning alone.

25.And the watcheman cryed, & tolde the King. And the King ſaid, If he be alone, ^" he bringeth tidings. And he came apaſe, and drewe nere.

26.And the watcheman ſawe an other man running, and the watcheman called vn-to the porter, and ſaid, Beholde, another man runneth alone. And the King ſaid, He alſo bringeth tidings.

27.And the watcheman ſaid, ^" Me thinketh the running of the formoſt is like the run-ning of Ahimáaz the ſonne of Zadók. Then the King ſaid, He is a ⁱ good man, & commeth with good tidings.

28.And Ahimáaz called, and ſaid vnto the King, Peace be with thee: and he fel downe to the earth vpon his face before y^e King, and ſaid, Bleſſed be the Lord thy God, who hathe ^" ſhut vp the men that lift vp their hands againſt my lord the King.

29.And the King ſaid, Is the yong man Ab-ſalóm ſafe? And Ahimáaz anſwered, Whẽ Ioáb ſent the Kings ^k ſeruant, and me thy ſeruãt, I ſawe a great tumulte, but I knewe not what.

30.And the King ſaid vnto him, Turne a-ſide, & ſtand here. ſo he turned aſide and ſtode ſtil.

31.And beholde, Cuſhí came, and Cuſhí ſaid, ^" Tidings, my lord the King: for the Lord hathe deliuered thee this day out of the hand of all that roſe againſt thee.

32.Then the King ſaid vnto Cuſhí, Is the yong man Abſalóm ſafe? And Cuſhí an-ſwered, The enemies of my lord y^e King, & all that riſe agaiſt thee to do thee hurt, be as that yong man is.

33.And the King was ^l moued, and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate, and wept: & as he went, thus he ſaid, O my ſonne Abſa-lóm, my ſonne, my ſonne Abſalóm: wolde God I had dyed for thee, ô Abſalóm, my ſonne, my ſonne.

2 Samuel 18

Notes