2 Samuel 18
1 Then Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set ouer them captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreths.
And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.
2 And Dauid sent foorth the third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and the thirde part vnder the hand of Abishai Ioabs brother the sonne of Zeruiah: and the other third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite. and the King said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.
And he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth with you.”
3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not regarde vs, neither will they passe for vs, though halfe of vs were slaine: but thou art now worth ten thousande of vs: therefore nowe it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.
And the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”
4 Then the King said vnto them, What seemeth you best, that I will doe. So the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thousands.
And the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the King commanded Ioab and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Entreate the yong man Absalom gently for my sake. and all the people heard whe the King gaue al the captaines charge concerning Absalom.
And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the fielde to meete Israel, and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim:
And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid: so there was a great slaughter that day, euen of twentie thousande.
And the people of Israel were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: twenty thousand men.
8 For the battel was skattered ouer all the countrey: and the wood deuoured much more people that day, then did the sworde.
Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.
9 Nowe Absalom met the seruants of Dauid, and Absalom rode vpon a mule, and the mule came vnder a great thicke oke: and his head caught holde of the oke, and he was taken vp betweene the heauen and the earth: and the mule that was vnder him went away.
Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.
10 And one that sawe it, tolde Ioab, saying, Beholde, I sawe Absalom hanged in an oke.
Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak.”
11 Then Ioab saide vnto the man that tolde him, And hast thou in deede seene? why then diddest thou not there smite him to the grounde, and I woulde haue giuen thee ten shekels of siluer, and a girdle?
And Joab said to the man who had reported it to him, “If you saw him, why did you not stab him to the ground, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt?”
12 Then the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousande shekels of siluer in mine hande, yet woulde I not lay mine hande vpon the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware, least any touche the yong man Absalom.
And he said to Joab: “Even if you weighed out to my hands one thousand silver coins, I would never lay my hands on the son of the king. For in our hearing the king ordered you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the boy Absalom.’
13 If I had done it, it had bene the danger of my life: for nothing can be hid from the King: yea, thou thy selfe wouldest haue bin against me.
Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?”
14 Then saide Ioab, I will not thus tary with thee. And he tooke three dartes in his hande, and thrust them through Absalom, while he was yet aliue in the middes of the oke.
And Joab said, “It will not be as you wish. Instead, I will be assailing him in your sight.” Then he took three lances in his hand, and he fixed them in the heart of Absalom. And while he was still clinging to life upon the oak,
15 And tenne seruants that bare Ioabs armour, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slewe him.
ten young men, armor bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, they killed him.
16 Then Ioab blewe the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Ioab helde backe the people.
Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.
17 And they tooke Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and layed a mightie great heape of stones vpon him: and all Israel fled euery one to his tent.
And they took Absalom, and they threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they piled an exceedingly great heap of stones over him. But all of Israel fled to their own tents.
18 Nowe Absalom in his life time had taken and reared him vp a pillar, which is in the kings dale: for he saide, I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance. and he called the pillar after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day, Absaloms place.
Now Absalom had raised up for himself, when he was still alive, a monument, which is in the Valley of the King. For he said, “I have no son, and so this shall be the memorial to my name.” And he called the monument by his own name. And it is called the Hand of Absalom, even to this day.
19 Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lord hath deliuered him out of the hande of his enemies.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “I will run and report to the king that the Lord has accomplished judgment for him, from the hand of his enemies.”
20 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.
And Joab said to him: “You shall not be the messenger on this day. Instead, you shall report on another day. I am not willing for you to give the report today, because the son of the king is dead.”
21 Then said Ioab to Cushi, Goe, tel the king, what thou hast seene. And Cushi bowed himselfe vnto Ioab, and ran.
Then Joab said to Hushai, “Go, and report to the king what you have seen.” Hushai reverenced Joab, and he ran.
22 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?
And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, “What prevents me from running after Hushai also?” And Joab said to him: “Why do you want to run, my son? You would not be the bearer of good news.”
23 Yet what if I runne? Then he saide vnto him, Runne. So Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the plaine, and ouerwent Cushi.
And he responded, “But what if I do run?” And he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz, running along a shorter way, passed Hushai.
24 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.
Now David was sitting between the two gates. Truly, the watchman, who was at the summit of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.
25 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 crying out, he told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” But as he was advancing and drawing nearer,
26 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.
the watchman saw another man running. And so, crying out from the height, he said: “Another man has appeared, running alone.” And the king said, “This one also is a good messenger.”
27 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.
Then the watchman said, “The running of the closest one seems like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and he arrives bearing good news.”
28 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.
Then, Ahimaaz, crying out, said to the king, “Be well, O king.” And reverencing the king prone on the ground before him, he said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has enclosed the men who had lifted up their hands against my lord the king.”
29 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, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said: “I saw a great tumult, O king, when your servant Joab sent me, your servant. I know nothing else.”
30 And the King said vnto him, Turne aside, and stand here. so he turned aside and stoode still.
And the king said to him, “Pass, and stand here.” And when he had passed and stood still,
31 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.
Hushai appeared. And approaching, he said: “I bear good news, my lord the king. For today the Lord has judged for you, from the hand of all who had risen up against you.”
32 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.
But the king said to Hushai, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And responding, Hushai said to him, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against him for evil, be as the boy is.”
33 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 so the king, being greatly saddened, ascended to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he was speaking in this manner: “My son Absalom! Absalom my son! Who can grant to me that I may die on your behalf? Absalom, my son! My son, Absalom!”
