Bible in Basic English
And they took Absalom's body and put it into a great hole in the wood, and put a great mass of stones over it: and every man of Israel went in flight to his tent.
Now Absalom, before his death, had put up for himself a pillar in the king's valley, naming it after himself; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory: and to this day it is named Absalom's pillar.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me go and give the king news of how the Lord has done right in his cause against those who took up arms against him.
And Joab said, You will take no news today; another day you may give him the news, but you will take no news today, because the king's son is dead.
Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go and give the king word of what you have seen. And the Cushite, making a sign of respect to Joab, went off running.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, Whatever may come of it, let me go after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why have you a desire to go, my son, seeing that you will get no reward for your news?
Whatever may come of it, he said, I will go. Then he said to him, Go. So Ahimaaz went running by the lowland road and overtook the Cushite.
Now David was seated between the two town doors; and the watchman went up to the roof of the doorways, on the wall, and, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running by himself.
And the watchman gave news of it to the king. And the king said, If he is coming by himself, then he has news. And the man was travelling quickly, and came near.
Then the watchman saw another man running: and crying out in the direction of the door he said, Here is another man running by himself. And the king said, He, like the other, comes with news.
And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good.
And Ahimaaz, crying out to the king, said, It is well. And falling down before the king, with his face to the earth, he said, May the Lord your God be praised, who has given up the men who took up arms against my lord the king!
And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said in answer, When Joab sent me, your servant, I saw a great outcry going on, but I had no knowledge of what it was.
And the king said, Get back and take your place here. So turning to one side, he took his place there.
And then the Cushite came and said, I have news for my lord the king: today the Lord has done right in your cause against all those who took up arms against you.
And the king said to the Cushite, Is the young man Absalom safe? And the Cushite said in answer, May all the king's haters and those who do evil against the king, be as that young man is!
Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!
— 2 Samuel 18:17-1964, Bible in Basic English
“They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes. Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning“I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial. David Learns of Absalom’s Death Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said,“Let me run and give the king the good news that the LORD has vindicated him before his enemies.” But Joab said to him,“You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.” Then Joab said to the Cushite,“Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab,“Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said,“Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.” But he said,“Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab said to him,“Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite. Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself. So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said,“If he is by himself, he brings good news.” The runner came ever closer. Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper,“There is another man running by himself.” The king said,“This one also is bringing good news.” The watchman said,“It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said,“He is a good man, and he comes with good news.” Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king,“Greetings!” He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said,“May the LORD your God be praised because he has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king!” The king replied,“How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied,“I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.” The king said,“Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited. Then the Cushite arrived and said,“May my lord the king now receive the good news! The LORD has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” The king asked the Cushite,“How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied,“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you be like that young man!” (19:1) The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said,“My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!””
Then Joab said, I would have made it safe for you. And he took three spears in his hand, and put them through Absalom's heart, while he was still living, in the branches of the tree.
And ten young men, servants of Joab, came round Absalom and put an end to him.
And Joab had the horn sounded, and the people came back from going after Israel, for Joab kept them back.
And they took Absalom's body and put it into a great hole in the wood, and put a great mass of stones over it: and every man of Israel went in flight to his tent.
Now Absalom, before his death, had put up for himself a pillar in the king's valley, naming it after himself; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory: and to this day it is named Absalom's pillar.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me go and give the king news of how the Lord has done right in his cause against those who took up arms against him.
And Joab said, You will take no news today; another day you may give him the news, but you will take no news today, because the king's son is dead.
Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go and give the king word of what you have seen. And the Cushite, making a sign of respect to Joab, went off running.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, Whatever may come of it, let me go after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why have you a desire to go, my son, seeing that you will get no reward for your news?
Whatever may come of it, he said, I will go. Then he said to him, Go. So Ahimaaz went running by the lowland road and overtook the Cushite.
Now David was seated between the two town doors; and the watchman went up to the roof of the doorways, on the wall, and, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running by himself.
And the watchman gave news of it to the king. And the king said, If he is coming by himself, then he has news. And the man was travelling quickly, and came near.
Then the watchman saw another man running: and crying out in the direction of the door he said, Here is another man running by himself. And the king said, He, like the other, comes with news.
And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good.
And Ahimaaz, crying out to the king, said, It is well. And falling down before the king, with his face to the earth, he said, May the Lord your God be praised, who has given up the men who took up arms against my lord the king!
And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said in answer, When Joab sent me, your servant, I saw a great outcry going on, but I had no knowledge of what it was.
And the king said, Get back and take your place here. So turning to one side, he took his place there.
And then the Cushite came and said, I have news for my lord the king: today the Lord has done right in your cause against all those who took up arms against you.
And the king said to the Cushite, Is the young man Absalom safe? And the Cushite said in answer, May all the king's haters and those who do evil against the king, be as that young man is!
Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!