< 2 Samuel 18 >

1 And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Og David talte Folket, som var hos ham, og han satte over dem Høvedsmænd over Tusinde og Høvedsmænd over Hundrede.
2 And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
Og David udsendte Folket, den tredje Part under Joabs Haand og den tredje Part under Abisaj', Zerujas Søns, Joabs Broders, Haand og den tredje Part under Githiteren Ithais Haand, og Kongen sagde til Folket: Ogsaa jeg vil drage ud med eder.
3 But the people said, Thou shall not go forth. For if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us, but thou are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that thou be ready to help us out of the city.
Men Folket sagde: Du skal ikke drage ud, thi om vi flyede, da vilde man ikke lægge sig det paa Hjerte for os, eller om Halvdelen af os døde, da vilde man ikke lægge sig det paa Hjerte for os, men nu er du ligesom ti Tusinde af os: Saa er det nu bedre, at du kommer os til Hjælp fra Staden.
4 And the king said to them, What seems best to you I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Og Kongen sagde til dem: Hvad som godt er for eders Øjne, vil jeg gøre. Saa stod Kongen ved Siden af Porten, og alt Folket drog ud ved Hundreder og ved Tusinder.
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
Og Kongen bød Joab og Abisaj og Ithaj og sagde: Farer mig lemfældeligt med den unge Mand, med Absalom; og alt Folket hørte det, at Kongen bød alle Høvedsmændene angaaende Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Og der Folket kom ud paa Marken imod Israel, da stod Slaget i Efraims Skov.
7 And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
Og Israels Folk blev der slaget for Davids Tjeneres Ansigt, og der skete samme Dag et stort Nederlag paa tyve Tusinde.
8 For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Og Krigen udbredte sig over hele Landet, og Skoven fortærede mangfoldige af Folket, flere end Sværdet fortærede den samme Dag.
9 And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak. And he was taken up between sky and earth, and the mule that was under him went on.
Og Absalom kom lige imod Davids Tjenere, og Absalom red paa en Mule, og der Mulen kom under de indviklede Grene af den store Eg, da holdtes hans Hoved fast ved Egen, og han blev hængende imellem Himmelen og Jorden, men Mulen, som var under ham, løb videre.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.
Der en Mand saa det, da gav han Joab det til Kende, og han sagde: Se, jeg saa Absalom hænge i Egen.
11 And Joab said to the man who told him, and, behold, thou saw it, and why did thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a belt.
Og Joab sagde til Manden, som gav ham det til Kende: Men se, saa du det, hvorfor slog du ham da ikke der til Jorden? saa vilde jeg have givet dig ti Sekel Sølv og et Bælte.
12 And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
Men Manden sagde til Joab: Ja, havde jeg end faaet vejet tusinde Sekel Sølv i mine Hænder, da vilde jeg dog ikke have udrakt min Haand imod Kongens Søn; thi Kongen bød dig og Abisaj og Ithaj for vore Øren og sagde: Tager Vare, hvo I end ere, paa den unge Mand, paa Absalom.
13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself would have set thyself against me.
Eller dersom jeg havde gjort nogen Svig imod hans Liv (efterdi ingenting bliver dulgt for Kongen), da havde du selv sat dig derimod.
14 Then Joab said, I will not delay thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
Da sagde Joab: Jeg kan ikke saaledes tøve hos dig. Saa tog han tre smaa Spyd i sin Haand og stødte dem i Absaloms Hjerte, medens han endnu levede, midt i Egen.
15 And ten young men who bore Joab's armor encompassed about and smote Absalom, and killed him.
Og ti unge Karle, som bare Joabs Vaaben, omringede og sloge Absalom og dræbte ham.
16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.
Da blæste Joab i Trompeten, og Folket kom tilbage fra at forfølge Israel; thi Joab forhindrede Folket derfra.
17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every man to his tent.
Og de toge Absalom og kastede ham i Skoven i en stor Hule og oprejste en saare stor Dynge Sten over ham, og al Israel flyede hver til sine Telte.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the 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 Absalom's monument to this day.
Og Absalom havde i levende Live taget og oprejst sig en Støtte, som staar i Kongens Dal; thi han sagde: Jeg har ingen Søn, derfor skal denne være til mit Navns Ihukommelse; og han kaldte denne Støtte efter sit Navn, og den kaldes Absaloms Mindesmærke indtil denne Dag.
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.
Og Ahimaaz, Zadoks Søn, sagde: Kære, lad mig løbe og bringe Kongen Budskab, at Herren har skaffet ham Ret og friet ham af hans Fjenders Haand.
20 And Joab said to him, Thou shall not be the bearer of news this day, but thou shall bear news another day. But this day thou shall bear no news, because the king's son is dead.
Men Joab sagde til ham: Du bliver ikke i Dag en Mand med et glædeligt Budskab, men en anden Dag kan du bringe Budskab; men i Dag kan du ikke bringe noget godt Budskab, fordi Kongens Søn er død.
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou have seen. And the Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
Og Joab sagde til Kusiten: Gak hen, sig til Kongen det, som du har set; og Kusiten bøjede sig ned for Joab og løb.
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will thou run, my son, seeing that thou will have no reward for the news?
Men Ahimaaz, Zadoks Søn, blev endnu ved og sagde til Joab: Det gaa, som det vil, kære, lad mig ogsaa løbe efter Kusiten; og Joab sagde: Hvorfor vil du løbe, min Søn? du har dog ikke et godt Budskab at bringe.
23 But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
Det gaa, som det vil, saa vil jeg løbe; og han sagde til ham: Løb! saa løb Ahimaaz ad Vejen over Sletten og løb forbi Kusiten.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
Og David sad imellem de to Porte, og Skildvagten gik paa Portens Tag over Muren og opløftede sine Øjne og saa, og se, en Mand kom løbende alene.
25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
Da raabte Skildvagten og gav Kongen det til Kende, og Kongen sagde: Dersom han er alene, da er der et godt Budskab i hans Mund; og han kom stedse nærmere.
26 And the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also brings news.
Da saa Skildvagten en anden Mand løbende, og Skildvagten raabte til Portneren og sagde: Se, en Mand kommer løbende alene, og Kongen sagde: Denne bringer ogsaa et godt Budskab.
27 And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.
Og Skildvagten sagde: Jeg ser, den førstes Løb er som Ahimaaz, Zadoks Søns Løb, og Kongen sagde: Det er en god Mand, og han kommer med et godt Budskab.
28 And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
Og Ahimaaz raabte og sagde til Kongen: Fred! og bøjede sig ned for Kongen paa sit Ansigt til Jorden, og han sagde: Velsignet være Herren din Gud, som har overantvordet dig de Mænd, der opløftede deres Haand imod min Herre, Kongen!
29 And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
Og Kongen sagde: Gaar det den unge Mand Absalom vel? og Ahimaaz sagde: Jeg saa det store Bulder, der Joab sendte Kongens Tjener og mig, din Tjener; men jeg ved ikke, hvad det var.
30 And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
Og Kongen sagde: Gak omkring, stil dig her; og han gik omkring og blev staaende.
31 And, behold, the Cushite came. And the Cushite said, News for my lord the king, for Jehovah has avenged thee this day of all those who rose up against thee.
Og se, da kom Kusiten, og Kusiten sagde: Det Budskab bringes min Herre Kongen, at Herren har skaffet dig Ret i Dag og friet dig af alle deres Haand, som stode op imod dig.
32 And the king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
Og Kongen sagde til Kusiten: Gaar det den unge Mand Absalom vel? Og Kusiten sagde: Min Herre Kongens Fjender og alle de, som staa op imod dig til ondt, vorde som den unge Mand!
33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Da blev Kongen heftig bevæget og gik op paa Salen over Porten og græd, og der han gik, sagde han saaledes: Min Søn Absalom! min Søn, min Søn Absalom! gid jeg var død for dig, Absalom, min Søn, min Søn!

< 2 Samuel 18 >