29 The king asked, “Is young Absalom all right?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great excitement, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 Then the king said, “Step over here and wait.” Ahimaaz went there and stood waiting.
31 The Ethiopian arrived and said, “News for my lord and king. Today the Lord has punished all those who were against you!”
32 The king asked the Ethiopian, “Is young Absalom all right?” The Ethiopian answered, “May your enemies, or whoever tries to hurt you, suffer the same as this young man did.”
33 So the king knew Absalom was dead and he became very upset. He went upstairs to the room over the gate, crying, “O my son Absalom! My son Absalom, I wish I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”