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2 Samuel 18 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
<!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=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Samuel 18 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</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" /></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="/bmcc/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/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</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 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">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Defeat and Death of Absalom</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>And David divided the army into three groups:<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8481a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> 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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>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;<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8482b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>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.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>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<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8488c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>A man saw it, and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>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! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8492d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote d">d</a>]</span> (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the troops. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>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.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">David Hears of Absalom’s Death</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> has delivered him from the power of his enemies.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>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<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8501e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote e">e</a>]</span> for the tidings?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span>“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.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span>The sentinel said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span>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 <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent your servant,<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8508f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote f">f</a>]</span> I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>The king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned aside, and stood still.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span>Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">32</span>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.”</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">David Mourns for Absalom</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">33</span><span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-8512g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote g">g</a>]</span> 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!”</span></p> <A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:2">2 Samuel 18:2</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk: Heb <i>sent forth the army</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:3">2 Samuel 18:3</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk Vg Symmachus: Heb <i>for now there are ten thousand such as we</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:9">2 Samuel 18:9</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk Syr Tg: Heb <i>was put</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:13">2 Samuel 18:13</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Another reading is <i>at the risk of my life</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:22">2 Samuel 18:22</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Meaning of Heb uncertain</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:29">2 Samuel 18:29</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb <i>the king’s servant, your servant</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Samuel 18:33">2 Samuel 18:33</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Ch 19.1 in Heb</span></li></ol></div> <!--end of footnotes--></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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