< 2 Samuel 18 >

1 David organized the men who were with him and put commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds in charge of them.
And he mustered David the people which [was] with him and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
2 David sent the army out divided into three sections. One third was commanded by Joab, one third was commanded by Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third was commanded by Ittai the Gittite. The king told the men, “I myself will go out into battle with you.”
And he sent out David the people the third [was] in [the] hand of Joab and the third [was] in [the] hand of Abishai [the] son of Zeruiah [the] brother of Joab and the third [was] in [the] hand of Ittai the Gittite. And he said the king to the people certainly I will go out also I with you.
3 But the men replied, “No, you must not go out into battle! For if we have to run away, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care about that either. But you are worth ten thousand of us, so it's better if you stay here and send us help from the town.”
And it said the people not you must go out for if certainly [if] we will flee not they will set to us heart and if they will die half of us not they will set to us heart for now like us ten thousand and therefore [is] good that you will be us from [the] city (to help. *Q(K)*)
4 “I will do whatever you think best,” the king replied. The king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
And he said to them the king [that] which it will be good in view your I will do and he stood the king to [the] side of the gate and all the people they went out to hundreds and to thousands.
5 The king ordered Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Treat young Absalom gently for me.” All the men heard the king giving orders to each of his commanders about Absalom.
And he commanded the king Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying to gentleness for me to the young man to Absalom and all the people they heard when commanded the king all the commanders on [the] matter of Absalom.
6 David's army marched out to face the Israelites in battle, which was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
And it went out the people the field to meet Israel and it was the battle in [the] forest of Ephraim.
7 The Israelites were defeated by David's men and many were killed that day—some twenty thousand.
And they were defeated there [the] people of Israel before [the] servants of David and it was there the slaughter great on the day that twenty thousand.
8 The battle covered the whole countryside, and that day more died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.
And it was there the battle (scattered *Q(K)*) over [the] face of all the land and it increased the forest to consume among the people more than [those] whom it consumed the sword on the day that.
9 Absalom ran into some of David's men while he was riding on his mule. As the mule went under the twisted branches of a large oak tree, Absalom's hair got caught in the tree. The mule he was riding kept going, leaving him hanging between earth and sky.
And he was met Absalom before [the] servants of David and Absalom [was] riding on the mule and it went the mule under [the] branche[s] of the oak great and it was firm head his in the oak and he was put between the heavens and between the earth and the mule which [was] under him it passed on.
10 One of David's men saw what happened, so he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree!”
And he saw a man one and he told to Joab and he said there! I saw Absalom hung up in the oak.
11 “What! You saw him like that?” Joab said to the man. “Why didn't you kill him right then and there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a soldier's belt as a reward!”
And he said Joab to the man who had told to him and there! you saw and why? not did you strike down him there [the] ground towards and on me to give to you ten silver and a belt one.
12 But the man replied, “Even if you gave me a thousand shekels of silver, I wouldn't hurt the king's son. We all heard the king give the order to you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Look after young Absalom for me.’
And he said the man to Joab (and if *Q(k)*) I [were] weighing on hands my a thousand silver not I will stretch out hand my against [the] son of the king for in ears our he commanded the king you and Abishai and Ittai saying protect whoever the young man Absalom.
13 If I had disobeyed and killed Absalom—and the king finds out everything—you yourself wouldn't have defended me.”
Or I had done (on life my *Q(K)*) falsehood and any thing not it is hidden from the king and you you will stand from in front.
14 “I'm not going to waste time waiting around like this with you!” Joab told him. He grabbed three spears and drove them into Absalom's heart while he was still alive, hanging from the oak tree.
And he said Joab not thus I will wait before you and he took three spears in hand his and he thrust them in [the] heart of Absalom still he [was] alive in [the] heart of the oak.
15 Ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom and hacked him to death.
And they surrounded [him] ten young men [the] bearers of [the] armor of Joab and they struck Absalom and they killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men stopped chasing the Israelites because Joab had signaled them to stop.
And he gave a blast Joab on the trumpet and it turned back the people from pursuing after Israel for he restrained Joab the people.
17 They took Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest, and piled a large heap of stones over him. All the Israelites ran away to their homes.
And they took Absalom and they threw him in the forest into the pit great and they set up over him a heap of stones great very and all Israel they fled each (to tents his. *Q(K)*)
18 Absalom while he was alive had made a stone pillar and set it up in the King's Valley as a memorial to himself, for he thought to himself, “I don't have a son to keep the memory of my name alive.” He named the pillar after himself, and it's called Absalom's Monument even today.
And Absalom he had taken and he had set up for himself (in life his *Q(K)*) a pillar which [is] in [the] valley of the king for he said not [belongs] to me a son in order to cause to be remembered name my and he called the pillar on own name his and it has been called to it [the] monument of Absalom until the day this.
19 Then Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, “Please let me run and take the good news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him over his enemies.”
And Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok he said let me run please and let me bear [the] news to the king that he has vindicated him Yahweh from [the] hand of enemies his.
20 “You're not the man to take the good news today,” Joab replied. “You can do it some other time, but don't do it today, because the king's son is dead.”
And he said to him Joab not [are] a man of news you day this and you will bear news on a day another and day this not you will bear [the] news for (since *Q(K)*) [the] son of the king he has died.
21 So Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” He bowed to Joab and ran off.
And he said Joab to the Cushite go tell to the king [that] which you have seen and he bowed down [the] Cushite to Joab and he ran.
22 Ahimaaz asked Joab again, “Never mind what happens, please let me run too, after the Ethiopian!” “Son, why do you want to run—you won't get anything for it?” Joab replied.
And he repeated again Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok and he said to Joab and may it be whatever let me run please also I after the Cushite and he said Joab why? this [are] you running O son my and [will belong] to you not good news finding.
23 “Doesn't matter, I want to run anyway,” he said. “Fine, start running!” Joab told him. Ahimaaz took the route over flatter ground and overtook the Ethiopian.
And may it be whatever I will run and he said to him run and he ran Ahimaaz [the] way of the plain and he passed by the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the inside and outside gates. The watchman climbed up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. He looked out, and saw a man running by himself.
And David [was] sitting between [the] two the gates and he went the watchman to [the] roof of the gate to the wall and he lifted up eyes his and he saw and there! a man [was] running to only him.
25 So he shouted down to tell the king. “If he's by himself then he's bringing good news,” the king replied. As the first runner got closer,
And he called out the watchman and he told to the king and he said the king if to only him news [is] in mouth his and he came continuously and approaching.
26 the watchman saw someone else running, and he shouted down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There's another man running by himself!” “He'll also be bringing good news,” said the king.
And he saw the watchman a man another running and he called out the watchman to the gatekeeper and he said there! a man [is] running to only him and he said the king also this one [is] bearing news.
27 “The first man seems to me to be running like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok,” said the watchman. “He's a good man,” he king replied. “He'll bring good news.”
And he said the watchman I [am] seeing [the] running of the first [one] like [the] running of Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok and he said the king [is] a man good this and with news good he is coming.
28 Ahimaaz shouted out greetings to the king, Then he came and he bowed facedown before the king. “Blessed be the Lord your God!” he said. “He has defeated the men who rebelled against Your Majesty!”
And he called out Ahimaaz and he said to the king peace and he bowed down to the king to face his [the] ground towards. And he said blessed [be] Yahweh God your who he has delivered up the men who they lifted up hand their against lord my the king.
29 “How is young Absalom? Is he alright?” the king asked. Ahimaaz answered, “It was very chaotic when your officer Joab sent me, your servant. I really don't know what was happening.”
And he said the king [does] peace? [belong] to the young man to Absalom and he said Ahimaaz I saw the multitude great to send [the] servant of the king Joab and servant your and not I know whatever.
30 “Stand to one side and wait,” the king told him. So Ahimaaz stood to one side and waited.
And he said the king go around stand thus and he went around and he stood.
31 Right then the Ethiopian arrived and said, “Your Majesty, listen to the good news! Today the Lord has defeated all those who rebelled against you!”
And here! the Cushite [was] coming and he said the Cushite let him receive [the] news lord my the king for he has vindicated you Yahweh this day from [the] hand of all those [who] rose up on you.
32 “How is young Absalom? Is he alright?” the king asked. The Ethiopian replied, “May what has happened to the young man happen to Your Majesty's enemies, and to everyone who rebels against you!”
And he said the king to the Cushite ¿ [does] peace [belong] to the young man to Absalom and he said the Cushite let them be like the young man [the] enemies of lord my the king and all [those] who they have risen up on you for harm.
33 The king broke down. He went up to the room over the gate and cried. As he walked, he sobbed out, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I'd died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
And he was agitated the king and he went up to [the] upper room of the gate and he wept and thus - he said when went he O son my Absalom son my son my Absalom who? will he give died I I in place of you O Absalom son my son my.

< 2 Samuel 18 >