The Reign of David

And Ioab said vnto him, Thou shalt not be the messenger to day, but thou shalt beare tidings another time, but to day thou shalt beare none: for the Kings sonne is dead.

Then said Ioab to Cushi, Goe, tel the king, what thou hast seene. And Cushi bowed himselfe vnto Ioab, and ran.

Then saide Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok againe to Ioab, What, I pray thee, if I also runne after Cushi? And Ioab said, Wherefore now wilt thou runne, my sonne, seeing that thou hast no tidings to bring?

Yet what if I runne? Then he saide vnto him, Runne. So Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the plaine, and ouerwent Cushi.

Now Dauid sate betweene the two gates. And the watchman went to the top of the gate vpon the wall, and lift vp his eyes, and sawe, and beholde, a man came running alone.

And the watchman cryed, and tolde ye king. And the King said, If he be alone, he bringeth tidings. And he came apace, and drew neere.

And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called vnto the porter, and said, Behold, another man runneth alone. And the King said, He also bringeth tidings.

And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the formost is like the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok. Then the King said, He is a good man, and commeth with good tidings.

And Ahimaaz called, and sayde vnto the King, Peace be with thee: and he fell downe to the earth vpon his face before the King, and saide, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut vp the men that lift vp their handes against my lorde the King.

And the King saide, Is the yong man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Ioab sent the Kings seruant, and me thy seruant, I sawe a great tumult, but I knewe not what.

And the King said vnto him, Turne aside, and stand here. so he turned aside and stoode still.

And beholde, Cushi came, and Cushi saide, Tidings, my lorde the King: for the Lord hath deliuered thee this day out of the hande of all that rose against thee.

Then the King saide vnto Cushi, Is the yong man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lorde the King, and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt, be as that yong man is.

And the King was mooued, and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my sonne Absalom, my sonne, my sonne Absalom: woulde God I had dyed for thee, O Absalom, my sonne, my sonne.

And it was tolde Ioab, Behold, the King weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

Therefore the victorie of that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day, The King soroweth for his sonne.

And the people went that day into the citie secretly, as people confounded hide them selues when they flee in battell.

So the King hid his face, and the King cryed with a loude voyce, My sonne Absalom, Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

Then Ioab came into the house to the King, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy seruants, which this day haue saued thy life and the liues of thy sones, and of thy daughters, and the liues of thy wiues, and the liues of thy concubines,

In that thou louest thine enemies, and hatest thy friendes: for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither thy princes nor seruants: therefore this day I perceiue, that if Absalom had liued, and we all had dyed this day, that then it would haue pleased thee well.

Nowe therefore vp, come out, and speake comfortably vnto thy seruants: for I sweare by the Lord, except thou come out, there will not tarie one man with thee this night: and that wil be worse vnto thee, then all the euill that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto.

Then the King arose, and sate in the gate: and they tolde vnto all the people, saying, Beholde, the King doeth sit in the gate: and all the people came before the King: for Israel had fled euery man to his tent.

Then all the people were at strife thorowout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The King saued vs out of the hand of our enemies, and he deliuered vs out of the hande of the Philistims, and nowe he is fled out of the lande for Absalom.

And Absalom, whome we anoynted ouer vs, is dead in battel: therefore why are ye so slow to bring the King againe?

But King Dauid sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the Priestes, saying, Speake vnto the Elders of Iudah, and say, Why are ye behind to bring the King againe to his house, (for the saying of al Israel is come vnto the king, euen to his house)