2 Samuel 18 summary meaning ai explained commentary

2 Samuel 18 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter details the tragic battle between King David's forces and the rebellious army of his son, Absalom.

The Battle Begins:

David divides his army into three divisions, led by Joab, Abishai, and Ittai the Gittite, preparing to face Absalom's forces in the forest of Ephraim.
David himself wants to join the battle, but his men convince him to stay back in the city for their safety.

Absalom's Defeat:

The battle is fierce, and many die on both sides.
Absalom, riding his mule, gets caught beneath a large oak tree. His hair becomes entangled in the branches, leaving him hanging helplessly.
A soldier reports seeing Absalom trapped but hesitates to strike him down due to David's previous command to spare his son.
Joab, prioritizing victory over David's wishes, kills Absalom himself by thrusting three darts into his heart.

News of Victory and Grief:

A Cushite runner is sent to inform David of the victory, but avoids mentioning Absalom's death.
Ahimaaz, another runner, insists on delivering the news himself and eventually reveals the truth about Absalom's fate.
David is overcome with grief, retreating to the chamber above the gateway and crying out, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

The Aftermath:

Joab confronts David's excessive mourning, reminding him of the soldiers who fought and died for him. He urges David to comfort his troops and acknowledge their sacrifice.
David eventually pulls himself together and appears before the people, but the victory is overshadowed by the tragedy of Absalom's death.

Key Themes:

The consequences of rebellion: Absalom's rebellion ultimately leads to his own demise, highlighting the destructive nature of defying authority.
The complexities of fatherly love: David's overwhelming grief for his son, despite his rebellion, reveals the depth and unconditional nature of parental love.
The cost of victory: The chapter emphasizes that even victories can come at a great personal cost, leaving behind a sense of loss and sorrow.

2 Samuel 18 bible study ai commentary

The climax of Absalom's rebellion unfolds not as a triumphant victory for David, but as a profound personal tragedy. This chapter masterfully weaves the tension between David's roles as a king responsible for his nation and a father desperate to save his rebellious son. The military victory, secured through Joab's ruthless pragmatism, becomes hollow, drowned out by David's heart-wrenching lament. It is a powerful illustration of sin's consequences coming full circle, fulfilling divine prophecy through the agonizing interplay of human loyalty, love, and political necessity.

2 Samuel 18 Context

The battle occurs east of the Jordan River in the "forest of Ephraim," likely named by settlers from the tribe of Ephraim, although it was geographically in the territory of Gad. This dense, rugged terrain was a great equalizer in ancient warfare. A smaller, more experienced force familiar with the landscape (David's men) held a significant advantage over a larger, less disciplined army (Absalom's forces), neutralizing their numerical superiority. Culturally, a king's command was absolute, making David's plea to "deal gently" a direct order; Joab's later defiance is a severe act of insubordination, highlighting his belief that the stability of the kingdom superseded the king's personal feelings.

2 Samuel 18:1-5

And David numbered the people who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds... And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave command to all the commanders about Absalom.

In-depth-analysis

Military Structure: David, a seasoned commander, immediately organizes his loyal followers into a professional military structure (commanders of thousands/hundreds), mirroring the organization used for all Israel (Ex 18:25).
Three Commanders: The command is split among Joab, Abishai (David's nephews), and Ittai the Gittite. Ittai's inclusion is significant; a foreigner has proven more loyal than David's own son.
David's Absence: His men persuade him not to go into battle, arguing his life is worth "ten thousand of us" (v. 3). Their logic is sound: if David falls, the cause is lost. This decision, however, removes him from direct oversight of Absalom's fate.
The Command: "Deal Gently": The Hebrew la'aṭ means softly or slowly. This command is the central moral and emotional axis of the chapter. It reveals the profound, and perhaps foolish, conflict in David: the king who must quell a rebellion versus the father who still loves his son.
Public Order: "All the people heard" the command. This detail is crucial. It establishes that Joab’s subsequent actions are a conscious, public defiance of a direct royal order, not a mistake made in the heat of battle.

Bible references

Proverbs 13:24: "Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." (David's "gentle" approach is a tragic inversion of proper discipline, which he failed to apply throughout Absalom's life).
2 Samuel 13:39: "And the spirit of King David longed to go out to Absalom..." (Shows David's persistent, unresolved affection for his son even after Amnon's murder).
Colossians 3:21: "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." (Presents the biblical ideal, which is tragically shattered from both sides in this family conflict).

Cross references

Eph 6:4 (fatherly duty), Deu 1:15 (military organization), 2 Sa 15:21 (Ittai's loyalty), Pro 29:15 (lack of discipline brings shame).

2 Samuel 18:6-8

So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. For the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

In-depth-analysis

David's Men vs. Israel: The text distinguishes between David's "servants" and "the people of Israel," emphasizing the tragedy of civil war.
The Forest Devoured: The terrain itself becomes an agent of destruction. The dense woods led to confusion, ambushes, and soldiers falling into pits or getting trapped. It signifies that this defeat was not just from human hands; the environment itself seemed to fight against Absalom's usurping army.
20,000 Dead: A catastrophic loss of life, underscoring the severity of the rebellion and the terrible cost of its resolution.

Bible references

Joshua 17:18: "...the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it..." (Highlights the known character of the forests in this region, confirming the battle's setting).
Judges 9:8-15: "The trees once went out to anoint a king over them..." (Jotham's fable where the worthless bramble becomes king, a fitting analogy for the charismatic but destructive Absalom).

Cross references

Ps 44:2-3 (God gives victory), Pro 21:31 (victory is from the Lord).

2 Samuel 18:9-15

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head was caught in the oak... And a certain man saw it and told Joab... But Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom... And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

In-depth-analysis

Absalom's Mount: A mule was a royal mount (1 Kings 1:33), a symbol of the kingship he had illegitimately seized.
Hair and the Oak Tree: Absalom, famous for his luxuriant hair (2 Sam 14:26), is undone by this very symbol of his vanity and pride. He is caught "between heaven and earth," a state of suspension symbolizing judgment.
The Soldier's Integrity (v. 12-13): A common soldier displays more loyalty to David's command than the top general. He refuses a massive bribe (a thousand shekels of silver), understanding that the king's word is law and that killing the king's son would bring a curse.
Joab's Pragmatism: Joab's response is swift and brutal. "I will not waste time like this" shows his utter disregard for David's feelings. He sees Absalom not as a son, but as a persistent, existential threat to Israel's stability that must be neutralized permanently.
The Kill: Joab initiates the attack with three javelins (shebet - literally rods/staffs). His ten armor-bearers then finish the act. This communal killing makes them all complicit, ensuring no single person can be blamed and cementing the action as a corporate, political execution.

Bible references

2 Samuel 14:26: "...he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight." (Directly connects Absalom's downfall to his well-known symbol of pride).
Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Absalom is the textbook case of this principle).
2 Samuel 12:10: "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house..." (Nathan's prophecy is horrifically fulfilled as David's own general kills his son).

Cross references

Deu 21:23 (cursed is one hung on a tree), 1Ki 1:33 (mules as royal transport), Job 18:8-10 (wicked snared by their own feet).

2 Samuel 18:16-18

Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab had held back the people. And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled, every one to his own home. Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day.

In-depth-analysis

Joab's Restraint: Once Absalom is dead, Joab immediately stops the bloodshed, showing his goal was political, not genocidal. He wanted to end the rebellion, not annihilate his countrymen.
A Dishonorable Burial: Instead of a royal tomb, Absalom is thrown into a pit and covered with a heap of stones. This burial method was reserved for infamous sinners, signifying a cursed end.
Ironic Monument: The narrator contrasts Absalom's dishonorable burial mound with the grand pillar he built for himself to preserve his name. His quest for a legacy ends in infamy. The monument he built stands in stark contrast to the pile of rocks that serves as his actual grave marker.

Bible references

Joshua 7:26: "And they raised over him [Achan] a great heap of stones that remains to this day..." (Direct parallel to the burial of Achan, who "troubled" Israel, just as Absalom did).
Deuteronomy 21:20-21: "...they shall say to the elders... ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious’... Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death." (Absalom receives a burial fitting for the archetypal rebellious son).
Ecclesiastes 1:11: "There is no remembrance of former things..." (Absalom's desire for legacy proves futile and vain).

Cross references

Gen 11:4 (building a name for oneself), Isa 14:19-20 (dishonorable burial of a corrupt king).

2 Samuel 18:19-32

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.” And Joab said to him... “You shall not be the bearer of news this day... because the king’s son is dead.”... David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof of the gate... and saw a man running alone... Then David said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.”

In-depth-analysis

The Race to Tell: This extended section masterfully builds suspense. The focus shifts from the battlefield to David's anxious waiting.
Ahimaaz vs. the Cushite: Ahimaaz is eager and perhaps naive. He wants to bear the "good news" (basar) of victory but is unwilling to deliver the devastating part of the message. The Cushite (an unnamed Ethiopian) is a more straightforward servant, tasked with delivering the unvarnished, painful truth.
Joab's Awareness: Joab knows exactly how David will react. He tries to spare Ahimaaz, a priest's son, from being the messenger of such soul-crushing news, understanding there would be "no reward" for it.
David's Hope and Fear: David’s first and only question to both messengers is about his son: "Is it well with the young man Absalom?". His entire focus is on Absalom, not the kingdom. His hope rises when the watchman calls Ahimaaz a "good man" who must be bringing "good news."
The Euphemism: The Cushite delivers the news with a respectful but clear euphemism: "May the enemies of my lord the king... be like that young man." He answers David's personal question with a political formula, confirming the death without explicitly stating it.

Polemics

Scholars note the literary artistry here. The race isn't just about speed; it's about the nature of truth. Ahimaaz, taking a shortcut, arrives first but with an incomplete, sanitized message. The Cushite, taking the direct route, arrives later but with the full, hard truth. It's a parable about the preference for pleasant lies over difficult realities. David gets the news in two stages, a quick "gospel" of victory followed by the crushing fine print.

2 Samuel 18:33

And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

In-depth-analysis

Raw Grief: This is one of the most powerful expressions of grief in all of literature. The repetitive cry, "my son, my son," conveys a depth of anguish that transcends his royal status. He is simply a shattered father.
Would I Had Died Instead of You: This is the ultimate cry of parental love—the desire to take a child's place in death. It's tragically ironic because David's own sin led to the prophecy that brought this moment about. In a sense, Absalom did die for David's sin.
Victory to Defeat: David's private grief immediately overshadows the public victory, turning celebration into mourning and threatening to demoralize the very men who just saved his kingdom (as seen in chapter 19).

Bible references

Genesis 37:35: "And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him [Jacob], but he refused to be comforted and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’” (A powerful parallel of a father's inconsolable grief for a beloved son).
2 Samuel 12:11-12: "...'I will raise up evil against you out of your own house...'" (The ultimate and most painful fulfillment of Nathan's prophetic curse).
Romans 5:8: "...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (David's wish to die for his rebellious son is a flawed, human echo of the perfect substitutionary sacrifice God would make for His rebellious children).

Cross references

Jer 31:15 (Rachel weeping for her children), Lk 19:41-42 (Jesus weeping over Jerusalem).

2 Samuel chapter 18 analysis

Kingship vs. Fatherhood: The chapter is a study in David's divided heart. His duties as king demand justice and the end of rebellion, but his heart as a father cries out for mercy. Joab represents the cold, hard logic of the state, while David represents raw, personal anguish.
Prophecy Fulfilled: The events are the direct outworking of Nathan's curse in 2 Samuel 12. The "sword" raised from David's own house has now struck down his heir, and the "evil" from his own family has reached its terrible zenith.
The Irony of Basar (Good News): The Hebrew word for bearing news of victory is basar, related to the word for "gospel" or "good news." The chapter deconstructs this idea. Ahimaaz wants to be the messenger of good news, but the news itself is fundamentally tragic for its recipient. It shows that perspective determines whether news is good or bad.
Pride and Fall: Absalom's story is a perfect biblical archetype of pride leading to downfall. His greatest physical asset (hair) literally becomes the instrument of his destruction, a potent symbol of how vanity ensnares the proud.

2 Samuel 18 summary

David's loyal army, under Joab's command, decisively crushes Absalom's rebellious forces in the forest of Ephraim. Against David's explicit command to "deal gently" with his son, Joab executes the trapped Absalom. When the news reaches David, his overwhelming grief for his son completely eclipses the military victory, plunging him into despair and turning a moment of national deliverance into his darkest personal tragedy.

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2 Samuel chapter 18 kjv

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 succor us out of the city.
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.
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.
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.
¹⁵ And ten young men that bare Joab's armor 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.
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.
²¹ Then said Joab to Cushy, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushy 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 Cushy. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
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 Cushy.
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.
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.
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.
³⁰ And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
³¹ And, behold, Cushy came; and Cushy said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
³² And the king said unto Cushy, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushy 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!

2 Samuel chapter 18 nkjv

¹ And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
² Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, "I also will surely go out with you myself."
³ But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city."
⁴ Then the king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
⁵ Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
⁶ So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim.
⁷ The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day.
⁸ For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
⁹ Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.
¹⁰ Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!"
¹¹ So Joab said to the man who told him, "You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt."
¹² But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!'
¹³ Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me."
¹⁴ Then Joab said, "I cannot linger with you." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
¹⁵ And ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.
¹⁶ So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people.
¹⁷ And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
¹⁸ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.
¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies."
²⁰ And Joab said to him, "You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king's son is dead."
²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.
²² And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." So Joab said, "Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?"
²³ "But whatever happens," he said, "let me run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.
²⁵ Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." And he came rapidly and drew near.
²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, "There is another man, running alone!" And the king said, "He also brings news."
²⁷ So the watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
²⁸ So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "All is well!" Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!"
²⁹ The king said, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about."
³⁰ And the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So he turned aside and stood still.
³¹ Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "There is good news, my lord the king! For the LORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you."
³² And the king said to the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" So the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!"
³³ Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom?my son, my son Absalom?if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"

2 Samuel chapter 18 niv

¹ David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
² David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, "I myself will surely march out with you."
³ But the men said, "You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."
⁴ The king answered, "I will do whatever seems best to you." So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.
⁵ The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, "Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake." And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
⁶ David's army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
⁷ There Israel's troops were routed by David's men, and the casualties that day were great?twenty thousand men.
⁸ The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
⁹ Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.
¹⁰ When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree."
¹¹ Joab said to the man who had told him this, "What! You saw him? Why didn't you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior's belt."
¹² But the man replied, "Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king's son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.'
¹³ And if I had put my life in jeopardy?and nothing is hidden from the king?you would have kept your distance from me."
¹⁴ Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.
¹⁵ And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.
¹⁶ Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them.
¹⁷ They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
¹⁸ During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.
¹⁹ Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies."
²⁰ "You are not the one to take the news today," Joab told him. "You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king's son is dead."
²¹ Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
²² Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, "Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite." But Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to go? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward."
²³ He said, "Come what may, I want to run." So Joab said, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
²⁴ While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone.
²⁵ The watchman called out to the king and reported it. The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the runner came closer and closer.
²⁶ Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone!" The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too."
²⁷ The watchman said, "It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." "He's a good man," the king said. "He comes with good news."
²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!" He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king."
²⁹ The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was."
³⁰ The king said, "Stand aside and wait here." So he stepped aside and stood there.
³¹ Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you."
³² The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."
³³ The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you?O Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel chapter 18 esv

¹ Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
² And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, "I myself will also go out with you."
³ But the men said, "You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city."
⁴ The king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
⁵ And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
⁶ So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
⁷ And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.
⁸ The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.
⁹ And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
¹⁰ And a certain man saw it and told Joab, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."
¹¹ Joab said to the man who told him, "What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt."
¹² But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'For my sake protect the young man Absalom.'
¹³ On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."
¹⁴ Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with you." And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.
¹⁵ And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
¹⁶ Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them.
¹⁷ And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.
¹⁸ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day.
¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run and carry news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."
²⁰ And Joab said to him, "You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king's son is dead."
²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.
²² Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?"
²³ "Come what may," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.
²⁵ The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." And he drew nearer and nearer.
²⁶ The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, "See, another man running alone!" The king said, "He also brings news."
²⁷ The watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man and comes with good news."
²⁸ Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, "All is well." And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king."
²⁹ And the king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."
³⁰ And the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So he turned aside and stood still.
³¹ And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you."
³² The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man."
³³ And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel chapter 18 nlt

¹ David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them.
² He 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."
³ But 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."
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.
⁵ And 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.
⁶ So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim,
⁷ and 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.
⁸ The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.
⁹ During 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.
¹⁰ One of David's men saw what had happened and told Joab, "I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree."
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!"
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.'
¹³ And 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."
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.
¹⁵ Ten of Joab's young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
¹⁶ Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.
¹⁷ They 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.
¹⁸ During 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.
¹⁹ Then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, "Let me run to the king with the good news that the LORD has rescued him from his enemies."
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."
²¹ Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, "Go tell the king what you have seen." The man bowed and ran off.
²² But 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."
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.
²⁴ While 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.
²⁵ He shouted the news down to David, and the king replied, "If he is alone, he has news." As the messenger came closer,
²⁶ the watchman saw another man running toward them. He shouted down, "Here comes another one!" The king replied, "He also will have news."
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.
²⁸ Then 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."
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."
³⁰ "Wait here," the king told him. So Ahimaaz stepped aside.
³¹ Then 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."
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!"
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."