2 Samuel 18

1And David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds,

2And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abisai the son of Sarvia Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ethai, who was of Geth: and the king said to the people: I also will go forth with you.

3And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us.

4And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.

5And the king commanded Joab, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom.

6So the people went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.

7And the people of Israel were defeated there by David’s army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men.

8And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

9And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

10And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak.

11And Joab said to the man that told him: If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver, and belt?

12And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king’s son: for in our hearing he king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.

13Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?

14And Joab said: Not as thou wilt, but will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak,

15Ten young men, armourbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.

16And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare he multitude.

17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an exceeding great heap of stories upon him: but all Israel fled to their own dwellings.

18Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

19And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.

20And Joab said to him: Thou shalt not be the messenger this day, but shalt bear tidings another day: this day I will not have thee bear tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

21And Joab said to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusai bowed down to Joab, and ran.

22Then Achimaas the son of Sadoc said to Joab again: Why might not I also run after Chusai? And Joab said to him: Why wilt thou run, my son? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings.

23He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai.

24And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.

25And crying out he told the king: and the king said: If he be alone, there are good tidings in his mouth. And as he was coming apace, and drawing nearer,

26The watchman saw another man running, and crying aloud from above, he said: I see another man running alone. And the king said: He also is a good messenger.

27And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news.

28And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king. And falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king.

29And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else.

30And the king said to him: Pass, and stand here.

31And when he bad passed, and stood still, Chusai appeared: and coming up he said: I bring good tidings, my lord, the king, for the Lord hath judged for thee this day from the hand of all that have risen up against thee.

32And the king said to Chusai: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Chusai answering him, said: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is.

33The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.

1Igitur considerato David populo suo, constituit super eos tribunos et centuriones,

2et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Joab, et tertiam partem sub manu Abisai filii Sarviæ fratris Joab, et tertiam partem sub manu Ethai, qui erat de Geth. Dixitque rex ad populum: Egrediar et ego vobiscum.

3Et respondit populus: Non exibis: sive enim fugerimus, non magnopere ad eos de nobis pertinebit: sive media pars ceciderit e nobis, non satis curabunt, quia tu unus pro decem millibus computaris: melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe præsidio.

4Ad quos rex ait: Quod vobis videtur rectum, hoc faciam. Stetit ergo rex juxta portam: egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni.

5Et præcepit rex Joab, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Servate mihi puerum Absalom. Et omnis populus audiebat præcipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom.

6Itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israël, et factum est prælium in saltu Ephraim.

7Et cæsus est ibi populus Israël ab exercitu David, factaque est plaga magna in die illa, viginti millium.

8Fuit autem ibi prælium dispersum super faciem omnis terræ, et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo, quam hi quos voraverat gladius in die illa.

9Accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David, sedens mulo: cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam, adhæsit caput ejus quercui: et illo suspenso inter cælum et terram, mulus cui insederat, pertransivit.

10Vidit autem hoc quispiam, et nuntiavit Joab, dicens: Vidi Absalom pendere de quercu.

11Et ait Joab viro qui nuntiaverat ei: Si vidisti, quare non confodisti eum cum terra, et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos, et unum balteum?

12Qui dixit ad Joab: Si appenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos, nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis: audientibus enim nobis præcepit rex tibi, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Custodite mihi puerum Absalom.

13Sed etsi fecissem contra animam meam audacter, nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset, et tu stares ex adverso?

14Et ait Joab: Non sicut tu vis, sed aggrediar eum coram te. Tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua, et infixit eas in corde Absalom: cumque adhuc palpitaret hærens in quercu,

15cucurrerunt decem juvenes armigeri Joab, et percutientes interfecerunt eum.

16Cecinit autem Joab buccina, et retinuit populum, ne persequeretur fugientem Israël, volens parcere multitudini.

17Et tulerunt Absalom, et projecerunt eum in saltu, in foveam grandem, et comportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis: omnis autem Israël fugit in tabernacula sua.

18Porro Absalom erexerat sibi, cum adhuc viveret, titulum qui est in Valle regis: dixerat enim: Non habeo filium, et hoc erit monimentum nominis mei. Vocavitque titulum nomine suo, et appellatur Manus Absalom, usque ad hanc diem.

19Achimaas autem filius Sadoc, ait: Curram, et nuntiabo regi quia judicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum ejus.

20Ad quem Joab dixit: Non eris nuntius in hac die, sed nuntiabis in alia: hodie nolo te nuntiare: filius enim regis est mortuus.

21Et ait Joab Chusi: Vade, et nuntia regi quæ vidisti. Adoravit Chusi Joab, et cucurrit.

22Rursus autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Joab: Quid impedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi? Dixitque ei Joab: Quid vis currere, fili mi? non eris boni nuntii bajulus.

23Qui respondit: Quid enim si cucurrero? Et ait ei: Curre. Currens ergo Achimaas per viam compendii, transivit Chusi.

24David autem sedebat inter duas portas: speculator vero, qui erat in fastigio portæ super murum, elevans oculos, vidit hominem currentem solum.

25Et exclamans indicavit regi: dixitque rex: Si solus est, bonus est nuntius in ore ejus. Properante autem illo, et accedente propius,

26vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem, et vociferans in culmine, ait: Apparet mihi alter homo currens solus. Dixitque rex: Et iste bonus est nuntius.

27Speculator autem: Contemplor, ait, cursum prioris, quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc. Et ait rex: Vir bonus est, et nuntium portans bonum venit.

28Clamans autem Achimaas, dixit ad regem: Salve rex. Et adorans regem coram eo pronus in terram, ait: Benedictus Dominus Deus tuus, qui conclusit homines qui levaverunt manus suas contra dominum meum regem.

29Et ait rex: Estne pax puero Absalom? Dixitque Achimaas: Vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Joab servus tuus, o rex, me servum tuum: nescio aliud.

30Ad quem rex: Transi, ait, et sta hic. Cumque ille transisset, et staret,

31apparuit Chusi: et veniens ait: Bonum apporto nuntium, domine mi rex: judicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te.

32Dixit autem rex ad Chusi: Estne pax puero Absalom? Cui respondens Chusi: Fiant, inquit, sicut puer, inimici domini mei regis, et universi qui consurgunt adversus eum in malum.

33Contristatus itaque rex, ascendit cœnaculum portæ, et flevit. Et sic loquebatur, vadens: Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi: quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te, Absalom fili mi, fili mi Absalom?

1And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.

2And he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth with you.”

3And the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”

4And the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.

5And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.

6And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7And the people of Israel were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: twenty thousand men.

8Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.

9Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.

10Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak.”

11And Joab said to the man who had reported it to him, “If you saw him, why did you not stab him to the ground, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt?”

12And he said to Joab: “Even if you weighed out to my hands one thousand silver coins, I would never lay my hands on the son of the king. For in our hearing the king ordered you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the boy Absalom.’

13Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?”

14And Joab said, “It will not be as you wish. Instead, I will be assailing him in your sight.” Then he took three lances in his hand, and he fixed them in the heart of Absalom. And while he was still clinging to life upon the oak,

15ten young men, armor bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, they killed him.

16Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.

17And they took Absalom, and they threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they piled an exceedingly great heap of stones over him. But all of Israel fled to their own tents.

18Now Absalom had raised up for himself, when he was still alive, a monument, which is in the Valley of the King. For he said, “I have no son, and so this shall be the memorial to my name.” And he called the monument by his own name. And it is called the Hand of Absalom, even to this day.

19Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “I will run and report to the king that the Lord has accomplished judgment for him, from the hand of his enemies.”

20And Joab said to him: “You shall not be the messenger on this day. Instead, you shall report on another day. I am not willing for you to give the report today, because the son of the king is dead.”

21Then Joab said to Hushai, “Go, and report to the king what you have seen.” Hushai reverenced Joab, and he ran.

22And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, “What prevents me from running after Hushai also?” And Joab said to him: “Why do you want to run, my son? You would not be the bearer of good news.”

23And he responded, “But what if I do run?” And he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz, running along a shorter way, passed Hushai.

24Now David was sitting between the two gates. Truly, the watchman, who was at the summit of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.

25And crying out, he told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” But as he was advancing and drawing nearer,

26the watchman saw another man running. And so, crying out from the height, he said: “Another man has appeared, running alone.” And the king said, “This one also is a good messenger.”

27Then the watchman said, “The running of the closest one seems like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and he arrives bearing good news.”

28Then, Ahimaaz, crying out, said to the king, “Be well, O king.” And reverencing the king prone on the ground before him, he said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has enclosed the men who had lifted up their hands against my lord the king.”

29And the king said, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said: “I saw a great tumult, O king, when your servant Joab sent me, your servant. I know nothing else.”

30And the king said to him, “Pass, and stand here.” And when he had passed and stood still,

31Hushai appeared. And approaching, he said: “I bear good news, my lord the king. For today the Lord has judged for you, from the hand of all who had risen up against you.”

32But the king said to Hushai, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And responding, Hushai said to him, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against him for evil, be as the boy is.”

33And so the king, being greatly saddened, ascended to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he was speaking in this manner: “My son Absalom! Absalom my son! Who can grant to me that I may die on your behalf? Absalom, my son! My son, Absalom!”