And David took a census of the people who were with him, and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

And David sent out the people, a third under the command of Yo'av, and a third under the command of Avishay, son of Tseruyah, Yo'av's brother, and a third under the command of Ittay the Gittite. And the king said to the people, 'I myself will also go out with you.'

But the people said, 'You must not go out. For if we flee, they will not pay attention to us; and if half of us die, they will not pay attention to us. For now, we are like ten thousand of them. And now, it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.'

And the king said to them, 'I will do whatever seems good in your eyes.' And the king stood by the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king commanded Yo'av, and Avishay, and Ittay, saying, 'Deal gently with the young man, with Avshalom, for my sake.' And all the people heard the king's command to all the commanders concerning the matter of Avshalom.

And the people went out into the field to confront Yisra'el, and the battle took place in the forest of Efrayim.

And the people of Yisra'el were struck down there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there on that day, twenty thousand.

And the battle spread out over the face of all the land, and the forest consumed more of the people than the sword consumed on that day.

And Avshalom was encountered before the servants of David, and Avshalom was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of the great oak tree, and his head was caught in the oak, and he was suspended between the sky and the earth, and the mule that was under him went on.

And one man saw and told Yo'av, and said, 'Behold, I saw Avshalom hanging in the oak.'

And Yo'av said to the man who told him, 'Behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him down there to the ground? And it is for me to give you ten pieces of silver and one belt.'

And the man said to Yo'av, 'Even if I were to weigh a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king's son. For in our hearing, the king commanded you, and Avishay, and Ittay, saying, 'Guard yourselves concerning the young man, concerning Avshalom.''

Otherwise, I would have acted falsely against my own life, and nothing would be hidden from the king, and you would stand aside.

And Yo'av said, 'I will not thus wait with you.' And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Avshalom, while he was still alive in the heart of the oak.

And ten young men, Yo'av's armor-bearers, surrounded and struck Avshalom and killed him.

And Yo'av blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing Yisra'el, for Yo'av restrained the people.

And they took Avshalom and threw him in the forest into the great pit, and they piled a very large mound of stones over him, and all Yisra'el fled, each man to his tent.

And Avshalom had taken and set up for himself in his lifetime the monument that is in the King's Valley, for he said, 'I have no son to perpetuate my name.' And he called the monument by his name, and it was called the Hand of Avshalom until this day.

And Achima'atz son of Tsadoq said, 'Please let me run, and I will bring good news to the king, that יהוה has avenged him from the hand of his enemies.'

But Yo'av said to him, 'You are not a bearer of good news today. But you will bring good news on another day, and today you will not bring good news, because the king's son is dead.'

And Yo'av said to the Cushite, 'Go, tell the king what you have seen.' And the Cushite bowed to Yo'av and ran.

And Achima'atz son of Tsadoq added and said to Yo'av, 'And whatever happens, please let me run also after the Cushite.' And Yo'av said, 'Why would you run, my son? For there is no good news for you to bring.'

And whatever happens, I will run.' And he said to him, 'Run.' And Achima'atz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

And David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went to the roof of the gate, to the wall, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, one man running alone.

And the watchman called out and told the king, and the king said, 'If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.' And he kept coming closer.

And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, 'Behold, another man running alone.' And the king said, 'This one also brings good news.'

And the watchman said, 'I see the running of the first one is like the running of Achima'atz son of Tsadoq.' And the king said, 'This is a good man, and he comes with good news.'

And Achima'atz called out and said to the king, 'Peace.' And he bowed to the king with his face to the ground, and said, 'Blessed be יהוה your Elohim, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my Adonai the king.'

And the king said, 'Is it well with the young man, with Avshalom?' And Achima'atz said, 'I saw a great commotion when your servant Yo'av sent the king's servant and your servant, and I did not know what.'

And the king said, 'Turn aside, stand here.' And he turned aside and stood.

And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, 'Let my Adonai the king receive good news, for יהוה has avenged you today from the hand of all who rose up against you.'

And the king said to the Cushite, 'Is it well with the young man, with Avshalom?' And the Cushite said, 'May the enemies of my Adonai the king, and all who rose up against you for evil, be like the young man.'