2 Samuel 18
1 And David inspects the people who [are] with him, and sets over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,
| וַיִּפְקֹ֣ד דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיָּ֣שֶׂם עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י מֵאֽוֹת׃ |
2 and David sends the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king says to the people, “I certainly go out—I also—with you.”
| וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־יוֹאָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת בְּיַ֖ד אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם׃ |
3 And the people say, “You do not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set [their] heart on us; and if half of us die, they do not set [their] heart to us—for [you are] now like ten thousand of us; and now, [it is] better that you are for a helper to us from the city.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָעָ֜ם לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֗א כִּי֩ אִם־נֹ֨ס נָנ֜וּס לֹא־יָשִׂ֧ימוּ אֵלֵ֣ינוּ לֵ֗ב וְאִם־יָמֻ֤תוּ חֶצְיֵ֙נוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָשִׂ֤ימוּ אֵלֵ֙ינוּ֙ לֵ֔ב כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה כָמֹ֖נוּ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲלָפִ֑ים וְעַתָּ֣ה ט֔וֹב כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ מֵעִ֖יר לעזיר׃ ס |
4 And the king says to them, “That which is good in your eyes I do”; and the king stands at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־יִיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְכָל־הָעָם֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ לְמֵא֖וֹת וְלַאֲלָפִֽים׃ |
5 and the king charges Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “[Deal] gently—for me, for the youth, for Absalom”; and all the people heard in the king’s charging all the heads concerning Absalom.
| וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־י֠וֹאָב וְאֶת־אֲבִישַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאַט־לִ֖י לַנַּ֣עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּצַוֺּ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ |
6 And the people go out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;
| וַיֵּצֵ֥א הָעָ֛ם הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִקְרַ֣את יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בְּיַ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ |
7 and the people of Israel are struck there before the servants of David, and the striking there is great on that day—twenty thousand;
| וַיִּנָּ֤גְפוּ שָׁם֙ עַ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֞ם הַמַּגֵּפָ֧ה גְדוֹלָ֛ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ |
8 and the battle there is scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplies to devour among the people more than those whom the sword has devoured in that day.
| וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֧ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה נפצית עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֶּ֤רֶב הַיַּ֙עַר֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל בָּעָ֔ם מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָכְלָ֛ה הַחֶ֖רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ |
9 And Absalom meets before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule comes in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head takes hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that [is] under him has passed on.
| וַיִּקָּרֵא֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וְאַבְשָׁל֞וֹם רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־הַפֶּ֗רֶד וַיָּבֹ֣א הַפֶּ֡רֶד תַּ֣חַת שׂוֹבֶךְ֩ הָאֵלָ֨ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֧ק רֹאשׁ֣וֹ בָאֵלָ֗ה וַיֻּתַּן֙ בֵּ֤ין הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהַפֶּ֥רֶד אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתָּ֖יו עָבָֽר׃ |
10 And one man sees, and declares [it] to Joab, and says, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
| וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְיוֹאָ֑ב וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם תָּל֖וּי בָּאֵלָֽה׃ |
11 And Joab says to the man who is declaring [it] to him, “And behold, you have seen—and why did you not strike him there to the earth—and [it would be] on me to give to you ten pieces of silver and one girdle?”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֗ב לָאִישׁ֙ הַמַּגִּ֣יד ל֔וֹ וְהִנֵּ֣ה רָאִ֔יתָ וּמַדּ֛וּעַ לֹֽא־הִכִּית֥וֹ שָׁ֖ם אָ֑רְצָה וְעָלַ֗י לָ֤תֶת לְךָ֙ עֲשָׂ֣רָה כֶ֔סֶף וַחֲגֹרָ֖ה אֶחָֽת׃ |
12 And the man says to Joab, “Indeed, though I am weighing on my hand one thousand pieces of silver, I do not put forth my hand to the son of the king; for in our ears the king has charged you, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe who [is] against the youth—against Absalom;
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב ולא אָנֹכִ֜י שֹׁקֵ֤ל עַל־כַּפַּי֙ אֶ֣לֶף כֶּ֔סֶף לֹֽא־אֶשְׁלַ֥ח יָדִ֖י אֶל־בֶּן־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י בְאָזְנֵ֜ינוּ צִוָּ֣ה הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֹ֠תְךָ וְאֶת־אֲבִישַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שִׁמְרוּ־מִ֕י בַּנַּ֖עַר בְּאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ |
13 or I had done a vain thing against my soul, and no matter is hid from the king, and you would station yourself opposite from [me].”
| אֽוֹ־עָשִׂ֤יתִי בנפשו שֶׁ֔קֶר וְכָל־דָּבָ֖ר לֹא־יִכָּחֵ֣ד מִן־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב מִנֶּֽגֶד׃ |
14 And Joab says, “[It is] not right [that] I linger before you”; and he takes three darts in his hand, and strikes them into the heart of Absalom, while he [is] alive, in the midst of the oak.
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֔ב לֹא־כֵ֖ן אֹחִ֣ילָה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיִּקַּח֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה שְׁבָטִ֜ים בְּכַפּ֗וֹ וַיִּתְקָעֵם֙ בְּלֵ֣ב אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ חַ֖י בְּלֵ֥ב הָאֵלָֽה׃ |
15 And they go around—ten youths carrying weapons of Joab—and strike Absalom, and put him to death.
| וַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה נְעָרִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֖י כְּלֵ֣י יוֹאָ֑ב וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם וַיְמִיתֻֽהוּ׃ |
16 And Joab blows with a horn, and the people turn back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab has kept back the people;
| וַיִּתְקַ֤ע יוֹאָב֙ בַּשֹּׁפָ֔ר וַיָּ֣שָׁב הָעָ֔ם מִרְדֹ֖ף אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־חָשַׂ֥ךְ יוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ |
17 and they take Absalom and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and set up a very great heap of stones over him, and all Israel has fled—each to his tent.
| וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אֹת֤וֹ בַיַּ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַפַּ֣חַת הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ עָלָ֛יו גַּל־אֲבָנִ֖ים גָּד֣וֹל מְאֹ֑ד וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לאהלו׃ ס |
18 And Absalom has taken, and sets up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that [is] in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to cause my name to be remembered”; and he calls the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called “The Monument of Absalom” to this day.
| וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֣ם לָקַ֗ח וַיַּצֶּב־ל֤וֹ בחיו אֶת־מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעֵֽמֶק־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֤י אָמַר֙ אֵֽין־לִ֣י בֵ֔ן בַּעֲב֖וּר הַזְכִּ֣יר שְׁמִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ וַיִּקָּ֤רֵא לָהּ֙ יַ֣ד אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ ס |
19 And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run, and I bear the king tidings, for YHWH has delivered him out of the hand of his enemies”;
| וַאֲחִימַ֤עַץ בֶּן־צָדוֹק֙ אָמַ֔ר אָר֣וּצָה נָּ֔א וַאֲבַשְּׂרָ֖ה אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּי־שְׁפָט֥וֹ יְהוָ֖ה מִיַּ֥ד אֹיְבָֽיו׃ |
20 and Joab says to him, “You are not a man of tidings this day, but you have borne tidings on another day, and this day you do not bear tidings, because the king’s son [is] dead.”
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יוֹאָ֗ב לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ בְּשֹׂרָ֤ה אַתָּה֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖ בְּי֣וֹם אַחֵ֑ר וְהַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ לֹ֣א תְבַשֵּׂ֔ר כִּֽי־על בֶּן־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מֵֽת׃ |
21 And Joab says to Cushi, “Go, declare to the king that which you have seen”; and Cushi bows himself to Joab, and runs.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹאָב֙ לַכּוּשִׁ֔י לֵ֛ךְ הַגֵּ֥ד לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֑יתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ כוּשִׁ֛י לְיוֹאָ֖ב וַיָּרֹֽץ׃ |
22 And Ahimaaz son of Zadok adds again and says to Joab, “And whatever it is, please let me run, I also, after the Cushite.” And Joab says, “Why [is] this—you are running, my son, and [there are] no tidings found from you?”
| וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד אֲחִימַ֤עַץ בֶּן־צָדוֹק֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב וִ֣יהִי מָ֔ה אָרֻֽצָה־נָּ֥א גַם־אָ֖נִי אַחֲרֵ֣י הַכּוּשִׁ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֗ב לָֽמָּה־זֶּ֞ה אַתָּ֥ה רָץ֙ בְּנִ֔י וּלְכָ֖ה אֵין־בְּשׂוֹרָ֥ה מֹצֵֽאת׃ |
23 “And whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” And he says to him, “Run”; and Ahimaaz runs the way of the circuit, and passes by the Cushite.
| וִיהִי־מָ֣ה אָר֔וּץ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ ר֑וּץ וַיָּ֤רָץ אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־הַכּוּשִֽׁי׃ |
24 And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goes to the roof of the gate, to the wall, and lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, a man running by himself.
| וְדָוִ֥ד יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֣י הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַצֹּפֶ֜ה אֶל־גַּ֤ג הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה וַיִּשָּׂ֤א אֶת־עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִ֖ישׁ רָ֥ץ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃ |
25 And the watchman calls, and declares [it] to the king, and the king says, “If [he is] by himself, tidings [are] in his mouth”; and he comes, coming on and drawing near.
| וַיִּקְרָ֤א הַצֹּפֶה֙ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־לְבַדּ֖וֹ בְּשׂוֹרָ֣ה בְּפִ֑יו וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ הָל֖וֹךְ וְקָרֵֽב׃ |
26 And the watchman sees another man running, and the watchman calls to the gatekeeper, and says, “Behold, a man running by himself”; and the king says, “This one is also bearing tidings.”
| וַיַּ֣רְא הַצֹּפֶה֮ אִישׁ־אַחֵ֣ר רָץ֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א הַצֹּפֶה֙ אֶל־הַשֹּׁעֵ֔ר וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה־אִ֖ישׁ רָ֣ץ לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ גַּם־זֶ֥ה מְבַשֵּֽׂר׃ |
27 And the watchman says, “I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” And the king says, “This [is] a good man, and he comes with good tidings.”
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַצֹּפֶ֔ה אֲנִ֤י רֹאֶה֙ אֶת־מְרוּצַ֣ת הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן כִּמְרֻצַ֖ת אֲחִימַ֣עַץ בֶּן־צָד֑וֹק וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אִֽישׁ־ט֣וֹב זֶ֔ה וְאֶל־בְּשׂוֹרָ֥ה טוֹבָ֖ה יָבֽוֹא׃ |
28 And Ahimaaz calls and says to the king, “Peace”; and he bows himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and says, “Blessed [is] your God YHWH who has shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.”
| וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֲחִימַ֗עַץ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שָׁל֔וֹם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לְאַפָּ֖יו אָ֑רְצָה ס וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּרוּךְ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר סִגַּר֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־נָשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־יָדָ֖ם בַּֽאדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ |
29 And the king says, “Peace to the youth—for Absalom?” And Ahimaaz says, “I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even your servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׁל֥וֹם לַנַּ֖עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחִימַ֡עַץ רָאִיתִי֩ הֶהָמ֨וֹן הַגָּד֜וֹל לִ֠שְׁלֹחַ אֶת־עֶ֨בֶד הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ יוֹאָב֙ וְאֶת־עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְתִּי מָֽה׃ |
30 And the king says, “Turn around, station yourself here”; and he turns around and stands still.
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ סֹ֖ב הִתְיַצֵּ֣ב כֹּ֑ה וַיִּסֹּ֖ב וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃ |
31 And behold, the Cushite has come, and the Cushite says, “Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for today YHWH has delivered you out of the hand of all those rising up against you.”
| וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכּוּשִׁ֖י בָּ֑א וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכּוּשִׁ֗י יִתְבַּשֵּׂר֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־שְׁפָטְךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ הַיּ֔וֹם מִיַּ֖ד כָּל־הַקָּמִ֥ים עָלֶֽיךָ׃ ס |
32 And the king says to the Cushite, “Peace to the youth—for Absalom?” And the Cushite says, “Let them be—as the youth—the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against you for evil.”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הַכּוּשִׁ֔י הֲשָׁל֥וֹם לַנַּ֖עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכּוּשִׁ֗י יִהְי֤וּ כַנַּ֙עַר֙ אֹֽיְבֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־קָ֥מוּ עָלֶ֖יךָ לְרָעָֽה׃ ס |
33 And the king trembles, and goes up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weeps, and thus he has said in his going, “My son Absalom! My son! My son Absalom! Oh that I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
| וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּ֛עַל עַל־עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַשַּׁ֖עַר וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וְכֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר בְּלֶכְתּ֗וֹ בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן מוּתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּנִ֥י בְנִֽי׃ |
