2 Samuel 18
1 Then David mustered the people that were with him, —and set over them, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds.
And David numbered the people that [were] with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 And David sent forth the people—a third part, under the hand of Joab, and, a third part, under the hand of Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and, a third part, under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. Then said the king, unto the people, I myself, will, surely go forth, with you.
And David sent forth a third part of the people 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 the people said—Thou must not go forth, for, if we, flee, they will not regard us, neither, if half of us die, will they regard us, for, thou, compared with us, [art worth] ten thousand, —now, therefore, it will be better that thou come to us out of the city, with succour.
But the people answered, 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 now [thou art] worth ten thousand of us: therefore now [it is] better that thou succour us out of the city.
4 And the king said unto them, Whatever is best in your eyes, I will do. And the king stood beside the gate, while, all the people, came 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 came out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently, for my sake, with the young man, even Absolom. And, all the people, heard when the king charged all the captains, for the sake of Absolom.
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 forth 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 wood of Ephraim;
7 Then were the people of Israel defeated there, before he servants of David, —and the slaughter there was great, on that day—twenty thousand.
Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand [men].
8 And the battle there was spread out over the face of all the land, —and the forest devoured more of the people than the sword devoured on that day.
For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now, when Absolom met the servants of David, Absolom, was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick branches of a large oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule that was under him passing on.
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that [was] under him went away.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, —and said—Lo! I saw Absolom suspended in an oak.
And a certain man saw [it], and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11 Then said Joab to the man that was telling him, Lo! since thou sawest him, why didst thou not smite him there, to the ground? then should I have been bound to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.
And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest [him], and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [shekels] of silver, and a girdle.
12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I were weighing upon my palm a thousand pieces of silver, yet would I not put forth my hand against the son of the king, —for, in our hearing, the king Charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Watch any man who [would touch] the young man Absolom.
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [shekels] of silver in mine hand, [yet] would I not put forth mine 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, had I dealt with my life falsely (and nothing can be hid from the king), then, thou thyself, wouldst have stood aloof.
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against [me].
14 And Joab said, Not thus, may I tarry before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absolom, while he was yet 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 oak.
15 Then came round ten young men who bare Joab’s armour, —and smote Absolom, and slew him.
And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 Then Joab blew with a horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, —for Joab had restrained the people.
And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17 And they took Absolom, and cast him, in the forest, into a large pit, and raised up over him a very great heap of stones, —and, all Israel, fled, every man to his home.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
18 But, Absolom, had taken, and raised up for himself, in his lifetime, the pillar that is in the king’s vale, for he said, I have no son, to keep in remembrance my name, so he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absolom’s monument unto this day.
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a 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 unto this day, Absalom’s place.
19 Then, Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, Let me run, I pray thee, and carry tidings unto the king, —how that Yahweh hath vindicated him, at the hand 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 And Joab said to him—Not a man to bear tidings, art thou this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day, —but, this day, shalt thou not bear tidings, for this cause, that, the king’s son, is dead.
And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
21 Then said Joab to a Cushite, Go tell the king, what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself down to Joab, and ran.
Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
22 Then, yet again, said Ahimaaz son of Zadok unto Joab. But, be what may, do, I pray thee, let, me also, run, after the Cushite. And Joab said—Wherefore is it that, thou, wouldst run, my son, when, thou, hast no tidings of, any profit?
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
23 But, be what may, I will run. So he said to him—Run. Then ran Ahimaaz by the way of the plain, and got beyond the Cushite.
But howsoever, [said he], let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
24 Now, David, was sitting between the two gates, —and the watchman went on to the top of the gate-house, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! a man, running alone.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25 So the watchman called out, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth. And he came on nearer and 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 saw the watchman another man, running, so he called out unto the porter, Lo! a man, running alone. And the king said. This one also, beareth tidings.
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 said the watchman, It seemeth, to me, that, the running of the foremost, is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok. And the king said, A good man, is he, and, with good tidings, he cometh.
And the watchman said, Me thinketh 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 Then called out Ahimaaz, and said unto the king, Peace! And he bowed himself down to the king, with his face to the earth, —and said—Blessed, be Yahweh thy God, who hath surrendered the men who were lifting up their hand, against my lord the king.
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed [be] the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
29 And the king said, Is it, well, with the young man—Absolom? Then said Ahimaaz—I saw a great crowd, when Joab sent the king’s servant and [me] thy servant, but I knew not what [it meant].
And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? 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 And the king said, Aside! stand, here. So he turned aside, and stood.
And the king said [unto him], Turn aside, [and] stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31 Then lo! the Cushite, coming in, —and the Cushite said—Tidings, getteth my lord the king, how that Yahweh hath vindicated thee to-day, at the hand of all them who had risen up against thee.
And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
32 And the king said unto the Cushite—Is it, well, with the young man—Absolom? Then said the Cushite—Be, like the young man, the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against thee, for harm.
And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do [thee] hurt, be as [that] young man [is].
33 Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, —and, thus, he said as he went—O my son Absolom, my son—my son—Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, 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 God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
