2 Samuel 18

1And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

1David counted the people who were with him and appointed commanders over groups of thousands and hundreds.

2And David sent forth the people, 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. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

2David sent the troops out in three groups: one third under Joab, one third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the men, 'I will definitely go out into battle with you myself.'

3But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.

3But the men replied, 'You must not go out. If we run away, the enemy won’t care about us; even if half of us die, they won’t care. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for you to stay in the city and be ready to send us help.'

4And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

4The king answered, 'I will do whatever you think is best.' So the king stood by the side of the gate while all the soldiers marched out in groups of hundreds and thousands.

5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

5The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'For my sake, deal gently with the young man Absalom.' And all the troops heard the king give this order about Absalom to all the commanders.

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

6The army went out into the field to fight against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

7The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men. It was a great slaughter that day, and twenty thousand men died.

8For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

8The battle spread across the entire countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword did.

9And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon 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 taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

9During the battle, Absalom happened to meet some of David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head got caught in the branches. He was left hanging in the air while the mule he was riding kept going.

10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.

10A man saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, 'I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.'

11And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.

11Joab said to the man who told him, 'What? You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him down right there? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a warrior’s belt!'

12And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

12The man replied to Joab, 'Even if I felt the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I wouldn’t lift a finger against the king’s son. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, "Protect the young man Absalom for my sake."

13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

13If I had put his life in danger—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have stood back and let me face the consequences alone.'

14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

14Joab said, 'I’m not going to waste my time with you.' He took three spears in his hand and stabbed them into Absalom’s chest while he was still alive, hanging in the oak tree.

15And ten young men that bare Joab’s armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

15Then ten of Joab’s young armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.

16Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops stopped chasing Israel because Joab held them back.

17And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

17They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge heap of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their own homes.

18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, unto this day.

18During his life, Absalom had set up a pillar for himself in the King’s Valley. He said, 'I have no son to keep my name alive.' He named the pillar after himself, and it is still called Absalom’s Monument today.

19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.

19Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, 'Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from his enemies.'

20And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

20But Joab told him, 'You are not the one to take news today. You can take news another time, but not today, because the king’s son is dead.'

21Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

21Then Joab said to a Cushite man, 'Go, tell the king what you have seen.' The Cushite bowed to Joab and started running.

22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?

22Ahimaaz son of Zadok spoke to Joab again, 'Whatever happens, please let me run after the Cushite.' Joab asked, 'Why do you want to go, my son? You won't get a reward for this news.'

23But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

23He replied, 'Whatever happens, I want to run.' So Joab said, 'Then run!' Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

24Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

24David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. He looked out and saw a man running alone.

25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

25The watchman called out and told the king. The king said, 'If he is alone, he must have news.' The runner came closer and closer.

26And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.

26Then the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, 'Look, another man running alone!' The king said, 'He must be bringing news too.'

27And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

27The watchman said, 'The way the first man runs looks like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' The king said, 'He is a good man; he must be coming with good news.'

28And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

28Ahimaaz called out to the king, 'All is well!' He bowed facedown to the ground before the king and said, 'Praise the LORD your God! He has handed over the men who rebelled against my lord the king.'

29And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

29The king asked, 'Is the young man Absalom safe?' Ahimaaz answered, 'When Joab sent me, the king’s servant, I saw a great commotion, but I didn’t know what it was about.'

30And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

30The king said, 'Step aside and wait here.' So he stepped aside and stood there.

31And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

31Then the Cushite arrived and said, 'I have news for my lord the king! Today the LORD has rescued you from everyone who rose up against you.'

32And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

32The king asked the Cushite, 'Is the young man Absalom safe?' The Cushite replied, 'May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.'

33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

33The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and cried. As he went, 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!'