2 שְׁמוּאֵל 18
| וַיִּפְקֹ֣ד דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתֹּ֑ו וַיָּ֣שֶׂם עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י מֵאֹֽות׃ | 1 |
David organized the men who were with him and put commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds in charge of them.
| וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־יֹואָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יֹואָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת בְּיַ֖ד אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם׃ | 2 |
David sent the army out divided into three sections. One third was commanded by Joab, one third was commanded by Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third was commanded by Ittai the Gittite. The king told the men, “I myself will go out into battle with you.”
| 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 טֹ֔וב כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ מֵעִ֖יר לַעְזִיר (לַעְזֹֽור)׃ ס | 3 |
But the men replied, “No, you must not go out into battle! For if we have to run away, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care about that either. But you are worth ten thousand of us, so it's better if you stay here and send us help from the town.”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־יִיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְכָל־הָעָם֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ לְמֵאֹ֖ות וְלַאֲלָפִֽים׃ | 4 |
“I will do whatever you think best,” the king replied. The king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
| וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־יֹ֠ואָב וְאֶת־אֲבִישַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאַט־לִ֖י לַנַּ֣עַר לְאַבְשָׁלֹ֑ום וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּצַוֹּ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אַבְשָׁלֹֽום׃ | 5 |
The king ordered Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Treat young Absalom gently for me.” All the men heard the king giving orders to each of his commanders about Absalom.
| וַיֵּצֵ֥א הָעָ֛ם הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִקְרַ֣את יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בְּיַ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ | 6 |
David's army marched out to face the Israelites in battle, which was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
| וַיִּנָּ֤גְפוּ שָׁם֙ עַ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֞ם הַמַּגֵּפָ֧ה גְדֹולָ֛ה בַּיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ | 7 |
The Israelites were defeated by David's men and many were killed that day—some twenty thousand.
| וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֧ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה נָפֹצֵית (נָפֹ֖צֶת) עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֶּ֤רֶב הַיַּ֙עַר֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל בָּעָ֔ם מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָכְלָ֛ה הַחֶ֖רֶב בַּיֹּ֥ום הַהֽוּא׃ | 8 |
The battle covered the whole countryside, and that day more died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.
| וַיִּקָּרֵא֙ אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ום לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֞ום רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־הַפֶּ֗רֶד וַיָּבֹ֣א הַפֶּ֡רֶד תַּ֣חַת שֹׂובֶךְ֩ הָאֵלָ֨ה הַגְּדֹולָ֜ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֧ק רֹאשֹׁ֣ו בָאֵלָ֗ה וַיֻּתַּן֙ בֵּ֤ין הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהַפֶּ֥רֶד אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתָּ֖יו עָבָֽר׃ | 9 |
Absalom ran into some of David's men while he was riding on his mule. As the mule went under the twisted branches of a large oak tree, Absalom's hair got caught in the tree. The mule he was riding kept going, leaving him hanging between earth and sky.
| וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְיֹואָ֑ב וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם תָּל֖וּי בָּאֵלָֽה׃ | 10 |
One of David's men saw what happened, so he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree!”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֹואָ֗ב לָאִישׁ֙ הַמַּגִּ֣יד לֹ֔ו וְהִנֵּ֣ה רָאִ֔יתָ וּמַדּ֛וּעַ לֹֽא־הִכִּיתֹ֥ו שָׁ֖ם אָ֑רְצָה וְעָלַ֗י לָ֤תֶת לְךָ֙ עֲשָׂ֣רָה כֶ֔סֶף וַחֲגֹרָ֖ה אֶחָֽת׃ | 11 |
“What! You saw him like that?” Joab said to the man. “Why didn't you kill him right then and there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a soldier's belt as a reward!”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ אֶל־יֹואָ֔ב וְלֹא (וְל֨וּא) 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 בְּאַבְשָׁלֹֽום׃ | 12 |
But the man replied, “Even if you gave me a thousand shekels of silver, I wouldn't hurt the king's son. We all heard the king give the order to you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Look after young Absalom for me.’
| אֹֽו־עָשִׂ֤יתִי בְנַפְשֹׁו (בְנַפְשִׁי֙) שֶׁ֔קֶר וְכָל־דָּבָ֖ר לֹא־יִכָּחֵ֣ד מִן־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב מִנֶּֽגֶד׃ | 13 |
If I had disobeyed and killed Absalom—and the king finds out everything—you yourself wouldn't have defended me.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֹואָ֔ב לֹא־כֵ֖ן אֹחִ֣ילָה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיִּקַּח֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה שְׁבָטִ֜ים בְּכַפֹּ֗ו וַיִּתְקָעֵם֙ בְּלֵ֣ב אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ום עֹודֶ֥נּוּ חַ֖י בְּלֵ֥ב הָאֵלָֽה׃ | 14 |
“I'm not going to waste time waiting around like this with you!” Joab told him. He grabbed three spears and drove them into Absalom's heart while he was still alive, hanging from the oak tree.
| וַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה נְעָרִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֖י כְּלֵ֣י יֹואָ֑ב וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹ֖ום וַיְמִיתֻֽהוּ׃ | 15 |
Ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom and hacked him to death.
| וַיִּתְקַ֤ע יֹואָב֙ בַּשֹּׁפָ֔ר וַיָּ֣שָׁב הָעָ֔ם מִרְדֹ֖ף אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־חָשַׂ֥ךְ יֹואָ֖ב אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ | 16 |
Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men stopped chasing the Israelites because Joab had signaled them to stop.
| וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹ֗ום וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אֹתֹ֤ו בַיַּ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַפַּ֣חַת הַגָּדֹ֔ול וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ עָלָ֛יו גַּל־אֲבָנִ֖ים גָּדֹ֣ול מְאֹ֑ד וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהֵלֹו (לְאֹהָלָֽיו)׃ ס | 17 |
They took Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest, and piled a large heap of stones over him. All the Israelites ran away to their homes.
| וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֣ם לָקַ֗ח וַיַּצֶּב־לֹ֤ו בְחַיָו (בְחַיָּיו֙) אֶת־מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעֵֽמֶק־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֤י אָמַר֙ אֵֽין־לִ֣י בֵ֔ן בַּעֲב֖וּר הַזְכִּ֣יר שְׁמִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙ עַל־שְׁמֹ֔ו וַיִּקָּ֤רֵא לָהּ֙ יַ֣ד אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ ס | 18 |
Absalom while he was alive had made a stone pillar and set it up in the King's Valley as a memorial to himself, for he thought to himself, “I don't have a son to keep the memory of my name alive.” He named the pillar after himself, and it's called Absalom's Monument even today.
| וַאֲחִימַ֤עַץ בֶּן־צָדֹוק֙ אָמַ֔ר אָר֣וּצָה נָּ֔א וַאֲבַשְּׂרָ֖ה אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּי־שְׁפָטֹ֥ו יְהוָ֖ה מִיַּ֥ד אֹיְבָֽיו׃ | 19 |
Then Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, “Please let me run and take the good news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him over his enemies.”
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לֹ֣ו יֹואָ֗ב לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ בְּשֹׂרָ֤ה אַתָּה֙ הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֔ה וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖ בְּיֹ֣ום אַחֵ֑ר וְהַיֹּ֤ום הַזֶּה֙ לֹ֣א תְבַשֵּׂ֔ר כִּֽי־עַל־ (עַל־כֵּ֥ן) בֶּן־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מֵֽת׃ | 20 |
“You're not the man to take the good news today,” Joab replied. “You can do it some other time, but don't do it today, because the king's son is dead.”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יֹואָב֙ לַכּוּשִׁ֔י לֵ֛ךְ הַגֵּ֥ד לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֑יתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ כוּשִׁ֛י לְיֹואָ֖ב וַיָּרֹֽץ׃ | 21 |
So Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” He bowed to Joab and ran off.
| וַיֹּ֨סֶף עֹ֜וד אֲחִימַ֤עַץ בֶּן־צָדֹוק֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־יֹואָ֔ב וִ֣יהִי מָ֔ה אָרֻֽצָה־נָּ֥א גַם־אָ֖נִי אַחֲרֵ֣י הַכּוּשִׁ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֹואָ֗ב לָֽמָּה־זֶּ֞ה אַתָּ֥ה רָץ֙ בְּנִ֔י וּלְכָ֖ה אֵין־בְּשֹׂורָ֥ה מֹצֵֽאת׃ | 22 |
Ahimaaz asked Joab again, “Never mind what happens, please let me run too, after the Ethiopian!” “Son, why do you want to run—you won't get anything for it?” Joab replied.
| וִיהִי־מָ֣ה אָר֔וּץ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹ֖ו ר֑וּץ וַיָּ֤רָץ אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־הַכּוּשִֽׁי׃ | 23 |
“Doesn't matter, I want to run anyway,” he said. “Fine, start running!” Joab told him. Ahimaaz took the route over flatter ground and overtook the Ethiopian.
| וְדָוִ֥ד יֹושֵׁ֖ב בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֣י הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַצֹּפֶ֜ה אֶל־גַּ֤ג הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַ֣חֹומָ֔ה וַיִּשָּׂ֤א אֶת־עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִ֖ישׁ רָ֥ץ לְבַדֹּֽו׃ | 24 |
David was sitting between the inside and outside gates. The watchman climbed up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. He looked out, and saw a man running by himself.
| וַיִּקְרָ֤א הַצֹּפֶה֙ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־לְבַדֹּ֖ו בְּשֹׂורָ֣ה בְּפִ֑יו וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ הָלֹ֖וךְ וְקָרֵֽב׃ | 25 |
So he shouted down to tell the king. “If he's by himself then he's bringing good news,” the king replied. As the first runner got closer,
| וַיַּ֣רְא הַצֹּפֶה֮ אִישׁ־אַחֵ֣ר רָץ֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א הַצֹּפֶה֙ אֶל־הַשֹּׁעֵ֔ר וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה־אִ֖ישׁ רָ֣ץ לְבַדֹּ֑ו וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ גַּם־זֶ֥ה מְבַשֵּֽׂר׃ | 26 |
the watchman saw someone else running, and he shouted down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There's another man running by himself!” “He'll also be bringing good news,” said the king.
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַצֹּפֶ֔ה אֲנִ֤י רֹאֶה֙ אֶת־מְרוּצַ֣ת הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון כִּמְרֻצַ֖ת אֲחִימַ֣עַץ בֶּן־צָדֹ֑וק וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אִֽישׁ־טֹ֣וב זֶ֔ה וְאֶל־בְּשֹׂורָ֥ה טֹובָ֖ה יָבֹֽוא׃ | 27 |
“The first man seems to me to be running like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok,” said the watchman. “He's a good man,” he king replied. “He'll bring good news.”
| וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֲחִימַ֗עַץ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שָׁלֹ֔ום וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לְאַפָּ֖יו אָ֑רְצָה ס וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּרוּךְ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר סִגַּר֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־נָשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־יָדָ֖ם בַּֽאדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | 28 |
Ahimaaz shouted out greetings to the king, Then he came and he bowed facedown before the king. “Blessed be the Lord your God!” he said. “He has defeated the men who rebelled against Your Majesty!”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׁלֹ֥ום לַנַּ֖עַר לְאַבְשָׁלֹ֑ום וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחִימַ֡עַץ רָאִיתִי֩ הֶהָמֹ֨ון הַגָּדֹ֜ול לִ֠שְׁלֹחַ אֶת־עֶ֨בֶד הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ יֹואָב֙ וְאֶת־עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְתִּי מָֽה׃ | 29 |
“How is young Absalom? Is he alright?” the king asked. Ahimaaz answered, “It was very chaotic when your officer Joab sent me, your servant. I really don't know what was happening.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ סֹ֖ב הִתְיַצֵּ֣ב כֹּ֑ה וַיִּסֹּ֖ב וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃ | 30 |
“Stand to one side and wait,” the king told him. So Ahimaaz stood to one side and waited.
| וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכּוּשִׁ֖י בָּ֑א וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכּוּשִׁ֗י יִתְבַּשֵּׂר֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־שְׁפָטְךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ הַיֹּ֔ום מִיַּ֖ד כָּל־הַקָּמִ֥ים עָלֶֽיךָ׃ ס | 31 |
Right then the Ethiopian arrived and said, “Your Majesty, listen to the good news! Today the Lord has defeated all those who rebelled against you!”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הַכּוּשִׁ֔י הֲשָׁלֹ֥ום לַנַּ֖עַר לְאַבְשָׁלֹ֑ום וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכּוּשִׁ֗י יִהְי֤וּ כַנַּ֙עַר֙ אֹֽיְבֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־קָ֥מוּ עָלֶ֖יךָ לְרָעָֽה׃ ס | 32 |
“How is young Absalom? Is he alright?” the king asked. The Ethiopian replied, “May what has happened to the young man happen to Your Majesty's enemies, and to everyone who rebels against you!”
| וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּ֛עַל עַל־עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַשַּׁ֖עַר וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וְכֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר בְּלֶכְתֹּ֗ו בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלֹום֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ום מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן מוּתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ אַבְשָׁלֹ֖ום בְּנִ֥י בְנִֽי׃ | 33 |
The king broke down. He went up to the room over the gate and cried. As he walked, he sobbed out, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I'd died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
