13. Otherwise, I should have wrought falsehood against my own soul (for there is no matter hid from the king), and thou thyself would have set thyself against me.
14. Then Joab answered, I may not tarry thus with thee. And taking three darts in his hand, he thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15. And ten young men that bore Joab’s armour surrounded and smote Absalom and slew him.
16. Then Joab blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.
17. And they took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest and laid a very great heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled each one to his tent.
18. Now Absalom, while he was alive, had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s valley; 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. {Heb. hand}
19. Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me now run and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord has vindicated him of his enemies.
20. And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings today, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings because the king’s son is dead.
21. And Joab said to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab and ran.
22. Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said yet again unto Joab, Be what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Why wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt receive no reward for the tidings?
23. But, said he, let me run, be what may. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and overran Cushi.
24. And David sat between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall and lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold a man running alone.