WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:05.880 Chapter 18 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of 00:05.880 --> 00:07.980 thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 00:08.620 --> 00:12.040 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, 00:12.420 --> 00:16.260 and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, 00:16.580 --> 00:19.360 and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. 00:20.260 --> 00:24.260 And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself 00:24.260 --> 00:24.720 also. 00:25.020 --> 00:30.020 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth, for if we flee away, they will not 00:30.020 --> 00:33.440 care for us, neither if half of us die will they care for us. 00:34.000 --> 00:36.380 But now thou art worth ten thousand of us. 00:37.100 --> 00:39.980 Therefore now it is better that thou succor us out of the city. 00:40.320 --> 00:43.460 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. 00:43.820 --> 00:47.480 And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds 00:47.480 --> 00:48.260 and by thousands. 00:48.840 --> 00:54.080 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake 00:54.080 --> 00:56.240 with a young man, even with Absalom. 00:56.580 --> 01:00.000 And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning 01:00.000 --> 01:00.480 Absalom. 01:01.340 --> 01:04.040 So the people went out into the field against Israel. 01:04.500 --> 01:08.200 And the battle was in the wood of Ephraim, where the people of Israel were slain 01:08.200 --> 01:09.420 before the servants of David. 01:10.060 --> 01:13.780 And there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 01:14.340 --> 01:18.340 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country, and the wood 01:18.340 --> 01:21.300 devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 01:22.140 --> 01:24.480 And Absalom met the servants of David. 01:25.180 --> 01:29.440 And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great 01:29.440 --> 01:31.820 oak, and his head caught hold of the oak. 01:32.180 --> 01:36.260 And he was taken up between the heaven and the earth, and the mule that was under him 01:36.260 --> 01:36.780 went away. 01:37.420 --> 01:42.860 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in 01:42.860 --> 01:43.180 an oak. 01:43.280 --> 01:48.940 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And behold, thou saw'st him, and why didst 01:48.940 --> 01:51.040 thou not smite him there to the ground? 01:51.660 --> 01:56.080 And I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. 01:56.400 --> 02:00.020 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of 02:00.020 --> 02:04.680 silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son. 02:05.260 --> 02:09.020 For in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 02:09.340 --> 02:14.580 Beware that none touch the young man Absalom, otherwise I should have wrought 02:14.580 --> 02:16.280 falsehood against mine own life. 02:16.780 --> 02:21.840 For there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself 02:21.840 --> 02:22.500 against me. 02:22.700 --> 02:25.720 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. 02:25.960 --> 02:30.100 And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of 02:30.100 --> 02:32.880 Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 02:33.420 --> 02:37.880 And ten young men that bear Joab's armor compassed about, and smote Absalom, 02:38.100 --> 02:38.860 and slew him. 02:39.700 --> 02:43.780 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, 02:44.180 --> 02:45.700 for Joab held back the people. 02:46.560 --> 02:50.820 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very 02:50.820 --> 02:52.300 great heap of stones upon him. 02:52.740 --> 02:55.660 And all Israel fled, every one, to his tent. 02:56.680 --> 03:00.880 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, 03:01.200 --> 03:02.360 which is in the king's dale. 03:02.720 --> 03:06.180 For he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. 03:06.920 --> 03:11.220 And he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called unto this day 03:11.220 --> 03:12.580 Absalom's place. 03:13.940 --> 03:18.620 Then said Ahimeaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run and bear the king tidings, 03:19.040 --> 03:21.300 how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. 03:21.440 --> 03:26.480 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear 03:26.480 --> 03:27.700 tidings another day. 03:27.860 --> 03:32.720 But this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 03:32.980 --> 03:37.760 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. 03:37.760 --> 03:40.540 And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab and ran. 03:41.340 --> 03:45.960 Then said Ahimeaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, 03:46.120 --> 03:48.160 I pray thee, also run after Cushi. 03:48.300 --> 03:53.340 And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings 03:53.340 --> 03:53.620 ready? 03:53.820 --> 03:56.360 But howsoever, said he, let me run. 03:56.500 --> 03:57.980 And he said unto him, Run. 03:58.280 --> 04:01.900 Then Ahimeaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. 04:02.320 --> 04:04.160 And David sat between the two gates. 04:04.160 --> 04:08.400 And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his 04:08.400 --> 04:09.540 eyes, and looked. 04:09.820 --> 04:11.880 And behold, a man running alone. 04:12.440 --> 04:14.420 And the watchman cried and told the king. 04:15.020 --> 04:18.540 And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. 04:18.980 --> 04:20.780 And he came apace and drew near. 04:21.500 --> 04:23.400 And the watchman saw another man running. 04:23.880 --> 04:27.580 And the watchman called unto the porter and said, Behold, another man running 04:27.580 --> 04:28.020 alone. 04:28.260 --> 04:30.660 And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 04:31.100 --> 04:34.520 And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the 04:34.520 --> 04:36.520 running of Ahimeaz, the son of Zadok. 04:36.680 --> 04:40.200 And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 04:40.520 --> 04:44.100 And Ahimeaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. 04:44.400 --> 04:47.440 And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, 04:47.740 --> 04:51.160 Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their 04:51.160 --> 04:52.680 hand against my lord the king. 04:52.920 --> 04:55.360 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? 04:55.560 --> 05:00.100 And Ahimeaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, 05:00.100 --> 05:03.280 I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 05:03.340 --> 05:06.320 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. 05:06.620 --> 05:08.520 And he turned aside, and stood still. 05:09.380 --> 05:11.100 And, behold, Cushi came. 05:11.460 --> 05:14.380 And Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king! 05:14.620 --> 05:19.640 For the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 05:20.040 --> 05:23.400 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? 05:23.560 --> 05:28.740 And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee 05:28.740 --> 05:32.300 to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 05:32.580 --> 05:37.140 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. 05:37.580 --> 05:45.340 And as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! 05:46.080 --> 05:50.620 Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!