2 Samuel 18
1 And David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 David divided the army into three, 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. The king said to the people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also."
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 unto the people: 'I will surely go forth with you myself also.'
3 But they said, "You must not go out, for if we retreat, no one will care about us. If half of us die, no one will care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So it is better for you to be in the city to help."
But the people said: 'Thou shalt 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 art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.'
4 The king said to them, "I will do what seems best to you." The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
And the king said unto them: 'What seemeth you best I will do.' And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 The king gave this order to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people were listening when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
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.
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 in the forest of Ephraim.
7 And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter took place that day of twenty thousand men.
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.
8 For the battle spread over the entire region, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
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.
9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. And he was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head got caught in the oak, and he was left suspended in midair, while the mule that was under him kept going.
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 terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10 And someone saw it and told Joab, and said, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said: 'Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth.'
11 Then Joab said to the man who reported it, "Look, you saw this. So why didn't you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a belt."
And Joab said unto the man that told him: 'And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have had to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.'
12 But the man said to Joab, "Even if I could feel in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn't lay a hand on the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom.'
And the man said unto Joab: 'Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I 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.
13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have dissociated yourself from me."
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against mine own life — and there is no matter hid from the king — then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.'
14 Then Joab said, "I'm not going to waste time with you." So he took three sharp sticks in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.
Then said Joab: 'I may not tarry 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 terebinth.
15 Then ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.
And ten young men that bore Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, for Joab had called for the people to halt.
And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped up over him a huge pile of stones. Then all Israel fled, each one to his tent.
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 one to his tent. —
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 memory." He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, to this day.
Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; 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 unto this day.
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run, let me carry the king news how that YHWH has avenged him of his enemies."
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok: 'Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.'
20 But Joab said, "You are not to bring the news today, but you may bring news another day. But today you are to bring no news." For it was because the king's son was dead.
And Joab said unto him: 'Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, forasmuch as the king's son is dead.'
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed before Joab and departed.
Then said Joab to the Cushite: 'Go tell the king what thou hast seen.' And the Cushite bowed down unto Joab, and ran.
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Whatever happens, please let me go after the Cushite." But Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?"
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab: 'But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite.' And Joab said: 'Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?'
23 But he said, "But whatever happens, I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
'But come what may, said he, I will run.' And he said unto him: 'Run.' Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and raised his eyes and looked, and there was a man running alone towards him.
Now David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25 Then the watchman shouted and informed the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth." And he kept coming nearer.
And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said: 'If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.' And he came apace, and drew near.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman above the gate called out, and said, "Look, another man running alone." And the king said, "He also brings good news."
And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said: 'Behold another man running alone.' And the king said: 'He also bringeth tidings.'
27 Then the watchman said, "I think the first runner is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
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 cometh with good tidings.'
28 And Ahimaaz came near and said to the king, "All is well." Then he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed is YHWH your God, who has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king."
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king: 'All is well.' And he bowed down before the king with his face to the earth, and said: 'Blessed be the LORD thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'
29 And the king asked, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab, the king's servant, sent your servant off, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."
And the king said: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And Ahimaaz answered: 'When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.'
30 Then the king said, "Step aside and stand here." So he stepped aside and waited.
And the king said: 'Turn aside, and stand here.' And he turned aside, and stood still.
31 Then look, the Cushite arrived, and he said, "Good news for my lord the king, for YHWH has delivered you today from all those who rose up against you."
And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said: 'Tidings for my lord the king; for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.'
32 Then the king asked the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you with evil intent be like that young man."
And the king said unto the Cushite: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And the Cushite answered: 'The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.'
33 And the king was shaken, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. And as he wept he said, "My son Absalom. My son, my son Absalom. If only I had died in your place, Absalom, my son, my son."
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!'
