he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in
order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
[24] Then David came
to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
[25] And Absalom
made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was
Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.
[26]
So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
[27] And it came to pass, when David was come
to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of
Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
[28] Brought beds, and basons, and earthen
vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
[29]
And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him,
to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
2Sam.18
[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.
[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 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.
[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 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?
[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,