2 Samuel 18
1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and he set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
And David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds,
2 And David sent forth the people a third part under the command of Joab, and a third part under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruyah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I myself also will without fail go forth with you.
And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abisai the son of Sarvia Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ethai, who was of Geth: and the king said to the people: I also will go forth with you.
3 But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth; for if we should have to flee away, they will not care for us; and if half of us die, they will not care for us; for now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou shouldst be a succor to us out of the city.
And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us.
4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth good in your eyes will I do. And the king placed himself by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Abshalom. And all the people heard when the king charged all the captains with respect to Abshalom.
And the king commanded Joab, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
So the people went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
7 And the people of Israel were smitten there before David's servants, and the slaughter was great there on that day—twenty thousand men.
And the people of Israel were defeated there by David’s army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men.
8 And the battle became extended there over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured yet more of the people than the sword had devoured on that day.
And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.
9 And Abshalom happened to come before the servants of David. And Abshalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was left hanging between the heaven and the earth: and the mule that was under him passed on.
And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.
10 And a certain man saw, and told it to Joab, and said, Behold, I have seen Abshalom hanging on an oak.
And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak.
11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him: why then didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and it would have been obligatory on me to give thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle.
And Joab said to the man that told him: If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver, and belt?
12 And the man said unto Joab, And though I should weigh on my hands a thousand shekels of silver, I would not stretch forth my hand against the king's son; for before our ears did the king charge thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take heed, whoever it be, of the young man, of Abshalom.
And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king’s son: for in our hearing he king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.
13 Or should I even have acted with falsehood against my own life, since there is no matter which can be hidden from the king; thou wouldst surely have placed thyself aloof.
Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?
14 Then said Joab, I will not wait thus before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Abshalom, who was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
And Joab said: Not as thou wilt, but will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak,
15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, encompassed and smote Abshalom, and slew him.
Ten young men, armourbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.
16 And Joab blew the cornet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab restrained the people.
And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare he multitude.
17 And they took Abshalom, and cast him down in the forest, into the large pit, and erected upon him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled, every one, to his tents.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an exceeding great heap of stories upon him: but all Israel fled to their own dwellings.
18 Now Abshalom had taken and reared up for himself in his lifetime, the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son, so as to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name: and it was called Abshalom's monument, even until this day.
Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.
19 And Achima'az the son of Zadok said, Do let me run, I pray thee, and bear the king tidings, that the Lord hath done him justice from the power of his enemies.
And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.
20 And Joab said unto him, Thou art not the man to bear [good] tidings this day, and thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
And Joab said to him: Thou shalt not be the messenger this day, but shalt bear tidings another day: this day I will not have thee bear tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
21 Then said Joab to the Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen, And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
And Joab said to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusai bowed down to Joab, and ran.
22 Then said Achima'az the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, Be it as it may, let me, I pray thee, run also after the Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore is it that thou wilt run, my son, seeing that thou hast no profitable tidings?
Then Achimaas the son of Sadoc said to Joab again: Why might not I also run after Chusai? And Joab said to him: Why wilt thou run, my son? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings.
23 But be it as it may, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. And Achima'az ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Cushi.
He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai.
24 And David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, upon the wall, and as he lifted up his eyes, he saw, and behold, a man was running alone.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.
25 And the watchman cried, and told it to the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there are tidings in his mouth. And he came nearer and nearer continually.
And crying out he told the king: and the king said: If he be alone, there are good tidings in his mouth. And as he was coming apace, and drawing nearer,
26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the gate-keeper, and said, Behold, here is a man running alone. And the king said, Also this one bringeth tidings.
The watchman saw another man running, and crying aloud from above, he said: I see another man running alone. And the king said: He also is a good messenger.
27 And the watchman said, I regard the running of the foremost as the running of Achima'az the son of Zadok. And the king said, That is a good man, and with good tidings must he come.
And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news.
28 And Achima'az called, and said unto the king, Peace. And he prostrated himself to the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath surrendered the men that had lifted up their hand against my Lord the king.
And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king. And falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king.
29 And the king said, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And Achima'az answered, I saw the greatest crowd when Joab sent off the king's servant, and thy servant; but I know not what hath happened.
And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else.
30 And the king said, Turn aside, place thyself here. And he turned aside, and remained standing.
And the king said to him: Pass, and stand here.
31 And, behold, the Cushi came [next]; and the Cushi said, Let my lord the king receive the tidings, that the Lord hath done thee justice this day from the power of all those that had risen up against thee.
And when he bad passed, and stood still, Chusai appeared: and coming up he said: I bring good tidings, my lord, the king, for the Lord hath judged for thee this day from the hand of all that have risen up against thee.
32 And the king said unto the Cushi, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And the Cushi answered, May like the young man be the enemies of my Lord the king, and all that have risen up against thee for evil.
And the king said to Chusai: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Chusai answering him, said: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is.
33 And the king was much moved, and he went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept: and thus he said as he went, O my son Abshalom, my son, my son Abshalom! who would grant that I had died in thy stead, O Abshalom, my son, my son!
The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.
