2 Samuel 18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Defeat and Death of Absalom
18 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.(A) 2 And David sent forth the army: one third under the command of Joab; one third under the command of Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother; and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.”(B) 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;[a] therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.”(C) 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.(D) 5 The king ordered 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 orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.(E)
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.(F) 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
9 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. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging[b] between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.(G) 10 A man saw it and told Joab, “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 raise my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom!’(H) 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life[c] (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.” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.(I) 15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the troops.(J) 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Meanwhile all the Israelites fled to their homes.(K) 18 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 by his own name; it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.(L)
David Hears of Absalom’s Death
19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry tidings to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies.”(M) 20 Joab said to him, “You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall not do so 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 before Joab and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz 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 have no reward[d] for the tidings?” 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. The sentinel went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up he saw a man running alone.(N) 25 The sentinel shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth.” He kept coming and drew near. 26 Then the sentinel saw another man running, and the sentinel called to the gatekeeper and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also is bringing tidings.” 27 The sentinel said, “I think the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man and comes with good tidings.”
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well!” He prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”(O) 29 The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “I saw a great tumult when the king’s servant Joab sent your servant, but I do not know what it was.”(P) 30 The king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
31 Then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.”(Q) 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to do you harm be like that young man.”(R)
David Mourns for Absalom
33 [e]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!”(S)
2 Samuel 18
International Children’s Bible
18 David counted his men. He chose commanders over groups of 1,000 and commanders over groups of 100. 2 He sent the troops out in three groups. Joab commanded one-third of the men. Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah commanded another third. And Ittai from Gath commanded the last third. King David said to them, “I will also go with you.”
3 But the men said, “No! You must not go with us! If we run away in the battle, Absalom’s men won’t care. Even if half of us are killed, Absalom’s men won’t care. But you’re worth 10,000 of us! It is better for you to stay in the city. Then, if we need help, you can send it.”
4 The king said to his people, “I will do what you think is best.” So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out. They went out in groups of 100 and 1,000.
5 The king gave a command to Joab, Abishai and Ittai. He said, “Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake.” Everyone heard the king’s orders about Absalom to the commanders.
6 David’s army went out into the field against Absalom’s Israelites. They fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There David’s army defeated the Israelites. Many died that day—20,000 men. 8 The battle spread through all the country. But that day more men died in the forest than in the fighting.
Absalom Dies
9 Then Absalom happened to meet David’s troops. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under a large oak tree. The branches were thick, and Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. His mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging above the ground.
10 When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab. He said, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Joab said to him, “You saw him? Why didn’t you kill him and let him fall to the ground? I would have given you a belt and four ounces of silver!”
12 The man answered, “I wouldn’t try to hurt the king’s son. I wouldn’t even if you gave me 25 pounds of silver. We heard the king’s command to you, Abishai and Ittai. The king said, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.’ 13 If I had killed him, the king would have found out. And you would not have protected me!”
14 Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Now Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. So Joab took three spears and stabbed him in the heart. 15 Ten young men who carried Joab’s armor also gathered around Absalom. They struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet. So the troops stopped chasing Absalom’s Israelites. 17 Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body. They threw it into a large pit in the forest. Then they filled the pit with many stones. All the Israelites who followed Absalom ran away and went home.
18 When Absalom was alive, he had put up a pillar in the King’s Valley. It was a monument to himself. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the pillar after himself. That pillar is called Absalom’s Monument even today.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok spoke to Joab. He said, “Let me run and take the news to King David. I’ll tell him the Lord has destroyed the enemy for him.”
20 Joab answered Ahimaaz, “No, you are not the one to take the news today. You may do it another time. But do not take it today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go. Tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran to tell David.
22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again. He said, “No matter what happens, please let me go, along with the Cushite!”
Joab said, “Son, why do you want to carry the news? You won’t get any reward for the news you bring!”
23 Ahimaaz answered, “No matter what happens, I will run.”
So Joab said to Ahimaaz, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the Jordan Valley and passed the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof by the gate walls. As he looked up, he saw a man running alone. 25 He shouted to tell King David.
The king said, “If he is alone, he is bringing good news!”
The man came nearer and nearer to the city. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”
The king said, “He is also bringing good news!”
27 The watchman said, “I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
The king said, “Ahimaaz is a good man. He must be bringing good news!”
28 Then Ahimaaz called a greeting to the king. He bowed facedown on the ground to the king. He said, “Praise the Lord your God! The Lord has defeated the men who were against you, my king.”
29 The king asked, “Is young Absalom all right?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great excitement. But I don’t know what it was.”
30 Then the king said, “Step over here and wait.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.
31 Then the Cushite arrived. He said, “Master and king, hear the good news! Today the Lord has punished the people who were against you!”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom all right?”
The Cushite answered, “May your enemies be like that young man. May all who come to hurt you be like that young man!”
33 Then the king knew Absalom was dead. He was very upset. He went to the room over the city gate and cried. As he went, he cried out, “My son Absalom, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you. Absalom, my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 18
English Standard Version
Absalom Killed
18 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 (A)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 (B)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.” (C)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 (D)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,[a] (E)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 (F)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[b] (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 (G)a very great heap of stones. And all Israel (H)fled every one to his own home. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself (I)the pillar that is in (J)the King's Valley, for he said, (K)“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[c] to this day.
David Hears of Absalom's Death
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, (L)“Let me run and carry news to the king that (M)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 (N)the plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Now David (O)was sitting between the two gates, and (P)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 (Q)like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, (R)“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, (S)“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, (T)“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.
David's Grief
31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For (U)the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, (V)“Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, (W)“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” 33 [d] And the king was deeply moved and went up (X)to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, (Y)“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 18:9 Or terebinth; also verses 10, 14
- 2 Samuel 18:13 Or at the risk of my life
- 2 Samuel 18:18 Or Absalom's hand
- 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19:1 in Hebrew
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
