6So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim; 7Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 8For the battle there was scattered all over the countryside; and the forest caused more casualties that day than the sword did.

9And Absalom happened to meet David’s men. And Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule ran under the thick boughs of a great oak, and (the hair of) his head caught firmly in the oak, the mule ran out from under him, and he was suspended between heaven and earth; 10And one man saw it, and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak”. 11And Joab said to the man, “And you saw him, then why did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten shekels of silver, and a belt”. 12And the man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for we all heard the king charge you, Abishai and Ittai, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Absalom’. 13Otherwise I should have brought falsehood against my own life; for there is no matter hidden from the king, and you yourself would have turned against me”. 14Then Joab said, “I cannot waste time with you”. And he took three staves (darts) in his hand, and plunged them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive hanging the oak. 15And then ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded, struck, and killed Absalom. 16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel; for Joab held back the people. 17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and piled a very large heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

19Then said Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, “Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies”. 20And Joab said to him, “You shall not bear tidings this day, but you shall bear tidings another day; but this day you shall bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead”. 21Then Joab said to the Cushite (Cushi), “Go tell the king what you have seen”. And the Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran. 22Then Ahimaaz said again to Joab, “But come what may, let me also run, I pray you, after the Cushite”. And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no new news ready?” 23But he asked yet again, come what may, let me run”. And Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and he outran the Cushite.

24And David sat between the two gates; and the watchman up on the roof over the gate to the wall looked, and saw a man running alone. 25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is tidings in his mouth”. And he came apace, and drew near. 26And the watchman saw another man running; and he called to the porter, and said, “Look, another man running alone”. And the king said, “He also brings tidings.” 27And the watchman said, “I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz, son of Zadok”. And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news”. 28And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well”. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, Who has delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord, the king”. 29And the king said, “Is the young man, Absalom, safe?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king's servant, and me, your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.” 30And the king said to him, “Turn aside, and stand here”. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Tidings, my lord the king; for the LORD has avenged you this day of all them who rose up against you”. 32And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man, Absalom, safe?” And the Cushite answered, “The enemies of my lord, the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is”.

33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber above the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”