2nd Samuel Chapter 18 - King James Strong Number Version

1: And David <H1732> numbered <H6485> the people <H5971> that [were] with him, and set <H7760> captains <H8269> of thousands <H0505> and captains <H8269> of hundreds <H3967> over them.
2: And David <H1732> sent forth <H7971> a third part <H7992> of the people <H5971> under the hand <H3027> of Joab, <H3097> and a third part <H7992> under the hand <H3027> of Abishai <H0052> the son <H1121> of Zeruiah, <H6870> Joab's <H3097> brother, <H0251> and a third part <H7992> under the hand <H3027> of Ittai <H0863> the Gittite. <H1663> And the king <H4428> said <H0559> unto the people, <H5971> I will surely <H3318> go forth <H3318> with you myself <H0589> also.
3: But the people <H5971> answered, <H0559> Thou shalt not go forth: <H3318> for if we flee <H5127> away, <H5127> they will not care <H7760> <H3820> for us; neither if half <H2677> of us die, <H4191> will they care <H7760> <H3820> for us: but now [thou art] worth <H3644> ten <H6235> thousand <H0505> of us: therefore now [it is] better <H2896> that thou succour <H5826> us out of the city. <H5892>
4: And the king <H4428> said <H0559> unto them, What seemeth <H5869> you best <H3190> I will do. <H6213> And the king <H4428> stood <H5975> by the gate <H8179> side, <H3027> and all the people <H5971> came out <H3318> by hundreds <H3967> and by thousands. <H0505>
5: And the king <H4428> commanded <H6680> Joab <H3097> and Abishai <H0052> and Ittai, <H0863> saying, <H0559> [Deal] gently <H0328> for my sake with the young man, <H5288> [even] with Absalom. <H0053> And all the people <H5971> heard <H8085> when the king <H4428> gave all the captains <H8269> charge <H6680> concerning <H1697> Absalom. <H0053>
6: So the people <H5971> went out <H3318> into the field <H7704> against <H7125> Israel: <H3478> and the battle <H4421> was in the wood <H3293> of Ephraim; <H0669>
7: Where the people <H5971> of Israel <H3478> were slain <H5062> before <H6440> the servants <H5650> of David, <H1732> and there was there a great <H1419> slaughter <H4046> that day <H3117> of twenty <H6242> thousand <H0505> [men].
8: For the battle <H4421> was there scattered <H6327> over the face <H6440> of all the country: <H0776> and the wood <H3293> devoured <H0398> more <H7235> people <H5971> that day <H3117> than the sword <H2719> devoured. <H0398>
9: And Absalom <H0053> met <H7122> the servants <H6440> <H5650> of David. <H1732> And Absalom <H0053> rode <H7392> upon a mule, <H6505> and the mule <H6505> went <H0935> under the thick boughs <H7730> of a great <H1419> oak, <H0424> and his head <H7218> caught hold <H2388> of the oak, <H0424> and he was taken up <H5414> between the heaven <H8064> and the earth; <H0776> and the mule <H6505> that [was] under him went away. <H5674>
10: And a certain <H0259> man <H0376> saw <H7200> [it], and told <H5046> Joab, <H3097> and said, <H0559> Behold, I saw <H7200> Absalom <H0053> hanged <H8518> in an oak. <H0424>
11: And Joab <H3097> said <H0559> unto the man <H0376> that told <H5046> him, And, behold, thou sawest <H7200> [him], and why didst thou not smite <H5221> him there to the ground? <H0776> and I would have given <H5414> thee ten <H6235> [shekels] of silver, <H3701> and a <H0259> girdle. <H2290>
12: And the man <H0376> said <H0559> unto Joab, <H3097> Though <H3863> I should receive <H8254> a thousand <H0505> [shekels] of silver <H3701> in mine hand, <H3709> [yet] would I not put forth <H7971> mine hand <H3027> against the king's <H4428> son: <H1121> for in our hearing <H0241> the king <H4428> charged <H6680> thee and Abishai <H0052> and Ittai, <H0863> saying, <H0559> Beware <H8104> that none [touch] the young man <H5288> Absalom. <H0053>
13: Otherwise <H0176> I should have wrought <H6213> falsehood <H8267> against mine own life: <H5315> for there is no matter <H1697> hid <H3582> from the king, <H4428> and thou thyself wouldest have set <H3320> thyself against [me].
14: Then said <H0559> Joab, <H3097> I may not tarry <H3176> thus with <H6440> thee. And he took <H3947> three <H7969> darts <H7626> in his hand, <H3709> and thrust <H8628> them through the heart <H3820> of Absalom, <H0053> while he [was] yet alive <H2416> in the midst <H3820> of the oak. <H0424>
15: And ten <H6235> young men <H5288> that bare <H5375> Joab's <H3097> armour <H3627> compassed about <H5437> and smote <H5221> Absalom, <H0053> and slew <H4191> him.
16: And Joab <H3097> blew <H8628> the trumpet, <H7782> and the people <H5971> returned <H7725> from pursuing <H7291> after <H0310> Israel: <H3478> for Joab <H3097> held back <H2820> the people. <H5971>
17: And they took <H3947> Absalom, <H0053> and cast <H7993> him into a great <H1419> pit <H6354> in the wood, <H3293> and laid <H5324> a very <H3966> great <H1419> heap <H1530> of stones <H0068> upon him: and all Israel <H3478> fled <H5127> every one <H0376> to his tent. <H0168>
18: Now Absalom <H0053> in his lifetime <H2416> had taken <H3947> and reared up <H5324> for himself a pillar, <H4678> which [is] in the king's <H4428> dale: <H6010> for he said, <H0559> I have no son <H1121> to keep my name <H8034> in remembrance: <H2142> and he called <H7121> the pillar <H4678> after his own name: <H8034> and it is called <H7121> unto this day, <H3117> Absalom's <H0053> place. <H3027>
19: Then said <H0559> Ahimaaz <H0290> the son <H1121> of Zadok, <H6659> Let me now run, <H7323> and bear the king <H4428> tidings, <H1319> how that the LORD <H3068> hath avenged <H8199> him <H3027> of his enemies. <H0341>
20: And Joab <H3097> said <H0559> unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings <H1309> <H0376> this day, <H3117> but thou shalt bear tidings <H1319> another <H0312> day: <H3117> but this day <H3117> thou shalt bear no tidings, <H1319> because the king's <H4428> son <H1121> is dead. <H4191>
21: Then said <H0559> Joab <H3097> to Cushi, <H3569> Go <H3212> tell <H5046> the king <H4428> what thou hast seen. <H7200> And Cushi <H3569> bowed <H7812> himself unto Joab, <H3097> and ran. <H7323>
22: Then said <H0559> Ahimaaz <H0290> the son <H1121> of Zadok <H6659> yet again <H3254> to Joab, <H3097> But howsoever, <H4100> let me, I pray thee, also run <H7323> after <H0310> Cushi. <H3569> And Joab <H3097> said, <H0559> Wherefore wilt thou run, <H7323> my son, <H1121> seeing that thou hast no tidings <H1309> ready? <H4672>
23: But howsoever, [said he], let me run. <H7323> And he said <H0559> unto him, Run. <H7323> Then Ahimaaz <H0290> ran <H7323> by the way <H1870> of the plain, <H3603> and overran <H5674> Cushi. <H3569>
24: And David <H1732> sat <H3427> between the two <H8147> gates: <H8179> and the watchman <H6822> went up <H3212> to the roof <H1406> over the gate <H8179> unto the wall, <H2346> and lifted up <H5375> his eyes, <H5869> and looked, <H7200> and behold a man <H0376> running <H7323> alone.
25: And the watchman <H6822> cried, <H7121> and told <H5046> the king. <H4428> And the king <H4428> said, <H0559> If he [be] alone, [there is] tidings <H1309> in his mouth. <H6310> And he came <H3212> apace, <H1980> and drew near. <H7131>
26: And the watchman <H6822> saw <H7200> another <H0312> man <H0376> running: <H7323> and the watchman <H6822> called <H7121> unto the porter, <H7778> and said, <H0559> Behold [another] man <H0376> running <H7323> alone. And the king <H4428> said, <H0559> He also bringeth tidings. <H1319>
27: And the watchman <H6822> said, <H0559> Me thinketh <H7200> the running <H4794> of the foremost <H7223> is like the running <H4794> of Ahimaaz <H0290> the son <H1121> of Zadok. <H6659> And the king <H4428> said, <H0559> He [is] a good <H2896> man, <H0376> and cometh <H0935> with good <H2896> tidings. <H1309>
28: And Ahimaaz <H0290> called, <H7121> and said <H0559> unto the king, <H4428> All is well. <H7965> And he fell down <H7812> to the earth <H0776> upon his face <H0639> before the king, <H4428> and said, <H0559> Blessed <H1288> [be] the LORD <H3068> thy God, <H0430> which hath delivered up <H5462> the men <H0582> that lifted up <H5375> their hand <H3027> against my lord <H0113> the king. <H4428>
29: And the king <H4428> said, <H0559> Is the young man <H5288> Absalom <H0053> safe? <H7965> And Ahimaaz <H0290> answered, <H0559> When Joab <H3097> sent <H7971> the king's <H4428> servant, <H5650> and [me] thy servant, <H5650> I saw <H7200> a great <H1419> tumult, <H1995> but I knew <H3045> not what [it was].
30: And the king <H4428> said <H0559> [unto him], Turn aside, <H5437> [and] stand <H3320> here. <H3541> And he turned aside, <H5437> and stood still. <H5975>
31: And, behold, Cushi <H3569> came; <H0935> and Cushi <H3569> said, <H0559> Tidings, <H1319> my lord <H0113> the king: <H4428> for the LORD <H3068> hath avenged <H8199> thee <H3027> this day <H3117> of all them that rose up <H6965> against thee.
32: And the king <H4428> said <H0559> unto Cushi, <H3569> Is the young man <H5288> Absalom <H0053> safe? <H7965> And Cushi <H3569> answered, <H0559> The enemies <H0341> of my lord <H0113> the king, <H4428> and all that rise <H6965> against thee to do [thee] hurt, <H7451> be as [that] young man <H5288> [is].
33: And the king <H4428> was much moved, <H7264> and went up <H5927> to the chamber <H5944> over the gate, <H8179> and wept: <H1058> and as he went, <H3212> thus he said, <H0559> O my son <H1121> Absalom, <H0053> my son, <H1121> my son <H1121> Absalom! <H0053> would God <H5414> I had died <H4191> for thee, O Absalom, <H0053> my son, <H1121> my son! <H1121>