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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>2 Samuel 18 Amplified Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_samuel/18-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">AMP</a> > 2 Samuel 18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_samuel/17.htm" title="2 Samuel 17">◄</a> 2 Samuel 18 <a href="../2_samuel/19.htm" title="2 Samuel 19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Amplified Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nas/esv/2_samuel/18.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Verses"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><p class="hdg">Absalom’s Death</p><p><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>David numbered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Then David sent the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[a]</a></span>army out, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[b]</a></span>men, “I myself will certainly go out [to fight] with you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>But the men said, “You should not go out [to battle with us]. For if in fact we retreat, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So now it is better that you be <i>ready</i> to help us from the city [of Mahanaim].” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate [of Mahanaim], and all the army went out in groups of hundreds and of thousands. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “<i>Deal</i> gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the men heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So the men went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was <i>fought</i> in the forest of Ephraim. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>The men of Israel [who supported Absalom] were defeated there by the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[c]</a></span>men of David, and a great slaughter took place there that day, 20,000 men. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>For the battle there was spread out over the surface of the entire countryside, and the [hazards of the] forest devoured more men that day than did the sword. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Now Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a massive tree, and his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[d]</a></span>head was caught in [the thick branches of] the tree; and he was left hanging [in midair] between heaven and earth, while the mule that had been under him kept going. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>A certain man saw it and informed Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in a tree.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Joab said to the man who informed him, “You saw <i>him!</i> Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[e]</a></span>I would have given you ten <i>pieces</i> of silver and a belt.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The man told Joab, “Even if I were to feel the weight of a thousand <i>pieces</i> of silver in my hands, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[f]</a></span>we all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect the young man Absalom, for my sake.’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously against his life (for nothing is hidden from the king) you yourself would have <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[g]</a></span>taken sides against me.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Joab said, “I will not waste time with you.” So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive [and caught] in the midst of the tree. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And ten young men, Joab’s armor bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then Joab blew the trumpet [to signal the end of the combat], and the men returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held them back. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>They took [down the body of] Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest and set up a huge mound of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his own tent. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a memorial pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[h]</a></span>no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He named the memorial pillar after himself, and to this day it is called <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[i]</a></span>Absalom’s Monument. <p class="hdg">David Is Grief-stricken</p><p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, said, “Let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has vindicated him <i>by rescuing him</i> from [the power of] his enemies.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>But Joab told him, “You are not the man to carry news [to King David] today, but you shall carry news another day. On this day you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then Joab said to the Cushite (Ethiopian), “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why should you run, my son, seeing you will have no messenger’s reward for going [because you have only bad news]?” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>“But whatever happens, Let me run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain [of the Jordan River] and outran the Cushite. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the lookout went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he raised his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>The lookout called <i>down</i> and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, he has good news to tell.” And he came nearer and nearer. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Then the lookout saw another man running, and he called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look, <i>another</i> man running alone.” The king said, “He also is bringing good news.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>The lookout said, “I think the man in front runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man and is coming with good news.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[j]</a></span>All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has handed over the men who lifted up their hands [to fight] against my lord the king.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great turmoil, but I do not know what <i>it was about</i>.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>The king told him, “Step aside; stand here.” And he stepped aside and stood still. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Behold, the Cushite (Ethiopian) arrived, and said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for the LORD has vindicated you today <i>by rescuing you</i> from the hand (power) of all those who stood against you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom [my son] safe?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all those who rise against you to do evil, be [dead] like that young man is.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_samuel/18-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span><span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[k]</a></span>The king was deeply moved and went to the upper room over the gate and wept [in sorrow]. And this is what he said as he walked: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[l]</a></span>How I wish that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”<A name="fn"></a></p><br /><br /><span class="footnotesbot">[a]</span> <span class="fnverse">2</span> Lit <i>people</i> and so throughout the chapter.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[b]</span> <span class="fnverse">2</span> Lit <i>people</i> and so throughout the chapter.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[c]</span> <span class="fnverse">7</span> Lit <i>servants</i>.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[d]</span> <span class="fnverse">9</span> Absalom’s remarkable head of hair is described in 14:26.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[e]</span> <span class="fnverse">11</span> In defiance of David’s order, Joab must have offered a reward for the man who killed Absalom.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[f]</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> Lit <i>in our hearing</i>.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[g]</span> <span class="fnverse">13</span> Lit <i>stood aloof</i>.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[h]</span> <span class="fnverse">18</span> One rabbi said that Absalom considered his three unnamed sons (14:27) unfit to rule. More likely, his sons predeceased him.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[i]</span> <span class="fnverse">18</span> Lit <i>the hand of Absalom</i>. The monument of the same name that exists today in the Kidron Valley is not the one set up by Absalom.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[j]</span> <span class="fnverse">28</span> Lit <i>Peace</i> (Heb <i>Shalom)</i>.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[k]</span> <span class="fnverse">33</span> In the Hebrew text, ch 19 begins with this verse.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[l]</span> <span class="fnverse">33</span> Lit <i>Would that.</i><br></div><br /><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015<br>by The Lockman Foundation<br>All rights reserved <a href="http://www.lockman.org">www.lockman.org</a><br><br><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br>                                                                                                                                <span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../2_samuel/17.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Samuel 17"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Samuel 17" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../2_samuel/19.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Samuel 19"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Samuel 19" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>