2 Samuela 18
1 Pea naʻe lau hake ʻe Tevita ʻae kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, mo ne fakanofo ʻae ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko afe, ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko teau.
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
2 Pea naʻe fekau atu ʻe Tevita ʻa hono vahe tolu ʻoe kakai ke puleʻi ʻe Soape, mo hono vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe ʻApisai ko e tama ʻo Seluia, ko e tokoua ʻo Soape, pea mo e vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe Itei ko e tangata Kati. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi ki he kakai, “Ko au foki te u ʻalu atu moʻoni fakataha mo kimoutolu.”
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
3 Ka naʻe pehēange ʻe he kakai, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻalu atu: he kapau te mau hola, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu; pea kapau ʻe mate haʻamau vaheua mālie, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu: ka ko koe ʻoku ke mahuʻinga ʻi ha toko mano ʻokimautolu: ko ia foki ʻoku lelei hake ke ke tokoni mai koe kiate kimautolu mei he loto kolo.”
But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
4 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kiate kinautolu, “Ko e meʻa ʻoku lelei hake kiate kimoutolu te u fai pe ia.” Pea naʻe tuʻu ʻae tuʻi ki he veʻe matapā [ʻoe kolo], pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai ʻi he ngaahi toko teau mo e ngaahi toko afe.
“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Pea naʻe fekau ʻe he tuʻi kia Soape mo ʻApisai mo Itei, ʻo pehē, “Faifai mālie koeʻuhi ko au ki he talavou ko ʻApisalomi.” Pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ʻa ʻene tuku ʻe he tuʻi ʻae fekau naʻe kau kia ʻApisalomi.
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Pea pehē, naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai kituaʻā ke tauʻi ʻa ʻIsileli: pea naʻe hoko ʻae tau ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi ʻIfalemi;
So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 ʻAia naʻe tāmateʻi ʻi ai ʻae kakai ʻo ʻIsileli ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita, pea naʻe fai ʻi ai ʻae tāmateʻi lahi ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, ko e kau tangata ʻe toko ua mano.
There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
8 He naʻe fai ʻae tau ʻo foliaki ʻi he funga fonua kotoa pē: pea naʻe maumauʻi ʻo tokolahi hake ʻae kakai ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, kae siʻi ʻae maumau ʻe he heletā.
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
9 Pea naʻe fetaulaki ʻa ʻApisalomi mo e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita. Pea naʻe heka ʻa ʻApisalomi ki ha miuli, pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae miuli ʻi he lalo vaʻa mālohi ʻoe oke lahi, pea naʻe ʻefihiaʻi hono ʻulu ʻi he oke, pea naʻe tautau hake ia ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe langi mo e [funga ]kelekele; pea naʻe moleange ʻae miuli mei lalo ʻiate ia.
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
10 Pea naʻe sio ki ai ʻae tangata ʻe tokotaha, ʻo ne tala ia kia Soape, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, naʻaku mamata kia ʻApisalomi kuo tautau ʻi ha oke.”
When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape ki he tangata naʻe fakahā mai ia kiate ia, “Pea vakai, naʻa ke sio [ki ai], pea ko e hā naʻe ʻikai ai te ke taaʻi hifo ia ʻi ai ki he kelekele? Ka ne ke pehē, kuo u tuku kiate koe ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe hongofulu pea mo ha noʻovala.”
“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
12 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata kia Soape, “Ka ne u maʻu ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe afe ki hoku nima, neongo ia ʻe ʻikai te u ala atu hoku nima ki he ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa mau fanongo ki he fekauʻi ʻa koe mo ʻApisai, mo Itei, ʻe he tuʻi, ʻo pehē, ‘Mou vakai kotoa pē telia naʻa alasi ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi.’
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
13 Ka ne u fai pehē, pehē kuo u fai ʻae lohiakiʻi ki heʻeku moʻui ʻaʻaku: he ʻoku ʻikai fufū ha meʻa mei he tuʻi, pea naʻa mo koe te ke ʻita kiate au.”
If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
14 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape, “ʻE ʻikai ʻaonga ʻa ʻeku tatali mo koe.” Pea naʻa ne toʻo ʻi hono nima ʻae foʻi tao ʻe tolu, ʻo ne velo ʻaki ia ke ʻasi ʻi he mafu ʻo ʻApisalomi lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui ʻi he lotolotonga ʻoe [ʻakau ko e ]oke.
But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
15 Pea naʻe kāpui mo taaʻi ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻe he kau talavou ʻe toko hongofulu naʻe fua ʻae mahafutau ʻa Soape, ʻonau tāmateʻi ia.
And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 Pea naʻe ifi ʻe Soape ʻae meʻalea, pea naʻe foki mai ʻae kakai mei heʻenau tuli ki ʻIsileli: he naʻe taʻofi ʻae kakai ʻe Soape.
Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
17 Pea naʻa nau ʻave ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻo lī ia ki ha fuʻu luo lahi naʻe ʻi he vao ʻakau, pea naʻe fokotuʻu ki ʻolunga ʻiate ia ha fuʻu ʻesi maka lahi; pea naʻe feholaki ʻa ʻIsileli kātoa taki taha ki hono fale fehikitaki.
They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
18 Ka ko eni, lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui naʻe ngaohi mo fokotuʻu ʻe ʻApisalomi maʻana ha fuʻu pou, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he teleʻa ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa ne pehē, ʻOku ʻikai haku foha ke manatuʻi ai ʻa hoku hingoa: pea naʻa ne ui ʻae pou ki hono hingoa ʻoʻona: pea ʻoku ui ia ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, Ko e potu ʻo ʻApisalomi.
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
19 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki, “Tuku eni ke u lele, pea ʻave ʻae ongoongo ki he tuʻi, ʻoe totongi kuo fai ʻe Sihova ki hono ngaahi fili.”
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape kiate ia, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo he ʻaho ni, ka te ke ʻave ʻae ongoongo ʻi ha ʻaho ange: ka ko e ʻaho ni ʻe ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo, he kuo pekia ʻae ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi.”
But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape kia Kusi, “ʻAlu ʻo tala ki he tuʻi ʻaia kuo ke mamata ki ai.” Pea naʻe punou hifo ʻa Kusi kia Soape, ʻo ne lele.
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 Pea naʻe toe pehē ai ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki kia Soape, “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ha meʻa pe ʻe fai, kae tuku pe au ke u lele muimui ʻia Kusi.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape, “Ko e hā ka ke ka lele ai koe, hoku foha, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate koe ha ongoongo ʻoku lelei?”
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
23 [Pea naʻa ne pehē], “Neongo ia tuku ke u lele.” Pea naʻa ne pehē kiate ia, “Lele.” Pea naʻe toki lele ai ʻa ʻAhimasi ʻi he hala ʻoe toafa, pea naʻa ne liʻaki ʻa Kusi.
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 Pea naʻe nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe ongo matapā ʻoe kolo: pea naʻe ʻalu hake ʻae tangata leʻo ki he tuʻafale ʻi he ʻā ʻo feʻunga hake mo e matapā, pea naʻa ne hanga hake hono mata, ʻo ne sio, pea vakai naʻe lele mai ʻae tangata naʻe tokotaha pe.
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
25 Pea naʻe kalanga ʻe he tangata leʻo, ʻo ne fakahā [ia ]ki he tuʻi. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Kapau ʻoku ne tokotaha pe ʻoku ai ha ongoongo ʻi hono ngutu.” Pea naʻa ne haʻu fakatoʻotoʻo pe, ʻo[ne ]fakaofiofi mai.
So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
26 Pea naʻe mamata ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata kehe ʻe tokotaha ʻoku lele: pea naʻe ui ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata naʻe tauhi matapā, ʻo ne pehē, “Vakai ʻoku lele mai tokotaha pe ʻae tangata kehe.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku ʻomi ʻae ongoongo ʻe ia foki.”
the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
27 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata leʻo, “ʻOku ou mahalo ʻoku lele ʻaia ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻo hangē ko e lele ʻa ʻAhimasi, ko e foha ʻo Satoki.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Ko e tangata lelei ia, pea ʻoku ʻomi ʻe ia ʻae ongoongolelei.”
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
28 Pea naʻe ui ʻa ʻAhimasi, ʻo ne pehē ki he tuʻi, “Ke ke fiemālie.” Pea naʻa ne tōmapeʻe hifo ʻi hono mata ki he kelekele ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo ne pehē, “Fakafetaʻi kia Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻaia kuo ne fakamoʻua ʻae kau tangata naʻe hiki hake honau nima ke angatuʻu ki hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi.”
Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
29 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi, “ʻI heʻene fekau ʻa Soape ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻae tuʻi pea mo au ko hoʻo tamaioʻeiki, naʻaku mamata ki he fuʻu vākē lahi ka naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo ʻa hono ʻuhinga.”
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
30 Pea naʻe pehē atu ʻe he tuʻi, “Tuʻu atu koe ki hena.” Pea naʻa ne tuʻu atu, mo ne tatali ai.
“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
31 Pea vakai, naʻe haʻu ʻa Kusi; pea naʻe pehē ʻe Kusi, “ʻE hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, ʻoku ou ʻomi ʻae ongoongo: he kuo fai totongi he ʻaho ni ʻe Sihova maʻau kiate kinautolu kotoa pē naʻe tuʻu angatuʻu hake kiate koe.”
Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
32 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kia Kusi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehēange ʻe Kusi, “Ke tatau mo e tangata talavou na, ʻae ngaahi fili ʻo hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, pea mo kinautolu kotoa pē ʻoku tuʻu hake ke fai ha kovi kiate koe.”
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
33 Pea naʻe mamahi lahi ʻaupito ʻae tuʻi, pea naʻa ne ʻalu hake ki he potu fale naʻe ʻi ʻolunga ʻi he matanikolo mo ne tangi ai: pea lolotonga ʻa ʻene ʻalu naʻe pehē ʻa ʻene lea, “ʻE ʻApisalomi ko hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha ko ʻApisalomi, taumaiā kuo u mate koeʻuhi ko koe, ʻe ʻApisalomi, ko hoku foha, ko hoku foha.”
The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
