2 Samuel 18
1 And he mustered David the people which [was] with him and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 And he sent out David the people the third [was] in [the] hand of Joab and the third [was] in [the] hand of Abishai [the] son of Zeruiah [the] brother of Joab and the third [was] in [the] hand of Ittai the Gittite. And he said the king to the people certainly I will go out also I with you.
David sent the people out, 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 also surely go out with you myself.”
3 And it said the people not you must go out for if certainly [if] we will flee not they will set to us heart and if they will die half of us not they will set to us heart for now like us ten thousand and therefore [is] good that you will be us from [the] city (to help. *Q(K)*)
But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”
4 And he said to them the king [that] which it will be good in view your I will do and he stood the king to [the] side of the gate and all the people they went out to hundreds and to 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 he commanded the king Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying to gentleness for me to the young man to Absalom and all the people they heard when commanded the king all the commanders on [the] matter of Absalom.
The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
6 And it went out the people the field to meet Israel and it was the battle 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 they were defeated there [the] people of Israel before [the] servants of David and it was there the slaughter great on the day that twenty thousand.
The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 And it was there the battle (scattered *Q(K)*) over [the] face of all the land and it increased the forest to consume among the people more than [those] whom it consumed the sword on the day that.
For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 And he was met Absalom before [the] servants of David and Absalom [was] riding on the mule and it went the mule under [the] branche[s] of the oak great and it was firm head his in the oak and he was put between the heavens and between the earth and the mule which [was] under him it passed on.
Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10 And he saw a man one and he told to Joab and he said there! I saw Absalom hung up in the oak.
A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 And he said Joab to the man who had told to him and there! you saw and why? not did you strike down him there [the] ground towards and on me to give to you ten silver and a belt one.
Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
12 And he said the man to Joab (and if *Q(k)*) I [were] weighing on hands my a thousand silver not I will stretch out hand my against [the] son of the king for in ears our he commanded the king you and Abishai and Ittai saying protect whoever the young man Absalom.
The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
13 Or I had done (on life my *Q(K)*) falsehood and any thing not it is hidden from the king and you you will stand from in front.
Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14 And he said Joab not thus I will wait before you and he took three spears in hand his and he thrust them in [the] heart of Absalom still he [was] alive in [the] heart of the oak.
Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle of the oak.
15 And they surrounded [him] ten young men [the] bearers of [the] armor of Joab and they struck Absalom and they killed him.
Ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.
16 And he gave a blast Joab on the trumpet and it turned back the people from pursuing after Israel for he restrained Joab the people.
Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
17 And they took Absalom and they threw him in the forest into the pit great and they set up over him a heap of stones great very and all Israel they fled each (to tents his. *Q(K)*)
They took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.
18 And Absalom he had taken and he had set up for himself (in life his *Q(K)*) a pillar which [is] in [the] valley of the king for he said not [belongs] to me a son in order to cause to be remembered name my and he called the pillar on own name his and it has been called to it [the] monument of Absalom until the day this.
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. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
19 And Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok he said let me run please and let me bear [the] news to the king that he has vindicated him Yahweh from [the] hand of enemies his.
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 And he said to him Joab not [are] a man of news you day this and you will bear news on a day another and day this not you will bear [the] news for (since *Q(K)*) [the] son of the king he has died.
Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 And he said Joab to the Cushite go tell to the king [that] which you have seen and he bowed down [the] Cushite to Joab and he ran.
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
22 And he repeated again Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok and he said to Joab and may it be whatever let me run please also I after the Cushite and he said Joab why? this [are] you running O son my and [will belong] to you not good news finding.
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
23 And may it be whatever I will run and he said to him run and he ran Ahimaaz [the] way of the plain and he passed by the Cushite.
“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 And David [was] sitting between [the] two the gates and he went the watchman to [the] roof of the gate to the wall and he lifted up eyes his and he saw and there! a man [was] running to only him.
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
25 And he called out the watchman and he told to the king and he said the king if to only him news [is] in mouth his and he came continuously and approaching.
The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
26 And he saw the watchman a man another running and he called out the watchman to the gatekeeper and he said there! a man [is] running to only him and he said the king also this one [is] bearing news.
The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
27 And he said the watchman I [am] seeing [the] running of the first [one] like [the] running of Ahimaaz [the] son of Zadok and he said the king [is] a man good this and with news good he is coming.
The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
28 And he called out Ahimaaz and he said to the king peace and he bowed down to the king to face his [the] ground towards. And he said blessed [be] Yahweh God your who he has delivered up the men who they lifted up hand their against lord my the king.
Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!”
29 And he said the king [does] peace? [belong] to the young man to Absalom and he said Ahimaaz I saw the multitude great to send [the] servant of the king Joab and servant your and not I know whatever.
The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 And he said the king go around stand thus and he went around and he stood.
The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came and stood still.
31 And here! the Cushite [was] coming and he said the Cushite let him receive [the] news lord my the king for he has vindicated you Yahweh this day from [the] hand of all those [who] rose up on you.
Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”
32 And he said the king to the Cushite ¿ [does] peace [belong] to the young man to Absalom and he said the Cushite let them be like the young man [the] enemies of lord my the king and all [those] who they have risen up on you for harm.
The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
33 And he was agitated the king and he went up to [the] upper room of the gate and he wept and thus - he said when went he O son my Absalom son my son my Absalom who? will he give died I I in place of you O Absalom son my son my.
The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
