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 mustered the people who were with him, and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders 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.
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."
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 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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 took place in the forest 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.
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.
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 spread over the entire region, and the forest 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 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.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, —and said—Lo! I saw Absolom suspended in an oak.
And someone saw it and told Joab, and said, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging 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.
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."
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.
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.'
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, 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."
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 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.
15 Then came round ten young men who bare Joab’s armour, —and smote Absolom, and slew him.
Then ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew with a horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, —for Joab had restrained the people.
Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, for Joab had called for the people to halt.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run, let me carry the king news how that the LORD has 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.
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.
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 Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed before Joab and departed.
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 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?"
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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."
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 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 the LORD your God, who has defeated the men who opposed 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 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."
30 And the king said, Aside! stand, here. So he turned aside, and stood.
Then the king said, "Step aside and stand here." So he stepped aside and waited.
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.
Then look, the Cushite arrived, and he said, "Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has delivered you today from all those who rose up against you."
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.
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."
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 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."
