1 E ntão Davi contou o povo que tinha consigo, e pôs sobre ele chefes de mil e chefes de cem.

Then David numbered the people who were with him. He set over them leaders of thousands and of hundreds.

2 E Davi enviou o exército, um terço sob o mando de Joabe, outro terço sob o mando de Abisai, filho de Zeruia, irmão de Joabe, e outro terço sob o mando de Itai, o giteu. E disse o rei ao povo: Eu também sairei convosco.

And he sent the people out. One third of them was under the rule of Joab. One third was under the rule of Zeruiah’s son Abishai, Joab’s brother. And one third was under the rule of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I myself will go out with you also.”

3 M as o povo respondeu: Não sairás; porque se fugirmos, eles não se importarão conosco; nem se importarão conosco ainda que morra metade de nós; porque tu vales por dez mil tais como nós. Melhor será que da cidade nos mandes socorro.

But the people said, “You should not go out. For if we run, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth 10, 000 of us. So it is better that you send us help from the city.”

4 R espondeu-lhes o rei: Farei o que vos parecer bem. E o rei se pôs ao lado da porta, e todo o povo saiu em centenas e em milhares.

The king said to them, “I will do whatever you think is best.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.

5 E o rei deu ordem a Joabe, a Abisai e a Itai, dizendo: Tratai brandamente, por amor de mim, o mancebo Absalão. E todo o povo ouviu quando o rei deu ordem a todos os chefes acerca de Absalão.

The king told Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle toward the young man Absalom because of me.” And all the people heard him say this to all the leaders about Absalom.

6 A ssim saiu o povo a campo contra Israel; e deu-se a batalha no bosque de Efraim.

Then the people went out into the field to fight against Israel. The battle was fought among the trees of Ephraim.

7 A li o povo de Israel foi derrotado pelos servos de Davi; e naquele dia houve ali grande morticínio, de vinte mil homens.

The people of Israel lost the fight there to the servants of David. Twenty thousand men were killed there that day.

8 P ois a batalha se estendeu sobre a face de toda aquela terra, e o bosque consumiu mais gente naquele dia do que a espada.

The battle was spread over the whole country. Dangers from the trees destroyed more people that day than the sword.

9 P or acaso Absalão se encontrou com os servos de Davi; e Absalão ia montado num mulo e, entrando o mulo debaixo dos espessos ramos de um grande carvalho, pegou-se a cabeça de Absalão no carvalho, e ele ficou pendurado entre o céu e a terra; e o mulo que estava debaixo dele passou adiante.

Absalom met the servants of David. He was going on his horse, and the horse went under the many branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s hair caught in the branches of the oak. He was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the horse under him kept going.

10 u m homem, vendo isso, contou-o a Joabe, dizendo: Eis que vi Absalão pendurado dum carvalho.

When a certain man saw it, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

11 E ntão disse Joabe ao homem que lho contara: Pois que o viste, por que não o derrubaste logo por terra? E eu te haveria dado dez siclos de prata e um cinto.

Joab said to the man, “You saw him! Why did you not kill him and let him fall to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12 R espondeu, porém, o homem a Joabe: Ainda que eu pudesse pesar nas minhas mãos mil siclos de prata, não estenderia a mão contra o filho do rei; pois bem ouvimos que o rei deu ordem a ti, e a Abisai, e a Itai, dizendo: Guardai-vos, cada um, de tocar no mancebo Absalão.

The man said to Joab, “Even for a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not go against the king’s son. For we heard the king tell you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Keep the young man Absalom safe for me.’

13 E se eu tivesse procedido falsamente contra a sua vida, coisa nenhuma se esconderia ao rei, e tu mesmo te oporias a mim:

If I had gone against his life, there is nothing hidden from the king. And you would not have helped me.”

14 E ntão disse Joabe: Não posso demorar-me assim contigo aqui. E tomou na mão três dardos, e traspassou com eles o coração de Absalão, estando ele ainda vivo no meio do carvalho.

Then Joab said, “I will not waste time here with you.” He took three spears in his hand and threw them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak.

15 E o cercaram dez mancebos, que levavam as armas de Joabe; e feriram a Absalão, e o mataram.

And ten young men who carried Joab’s battle clothes gathered around and hit Absalom and killed him.

16 E ntão tocou Joabe a buzina, e o povo voltou de perseguir a Israel; porque Joabe deteve o povo.

Then Joab sounded the horn, and all the people returned from going after Israel, for Joab stopped them.

17 E tomaram a Absalão e, lançando-o numa grande cova no bosque, levantaram sobre ele mui grande montão de pedras. E todo o Israel fugiu, cada um para a sua tenda.

They took Absalom and threw him into a deep hole among the trees, and set many stones over him. And all Israel ran away, every one to his own home.

18 O ra, Absalão, quando ainda vivia, tinha feito levantar para si a coluna que está no vale do rei; pois dizia: Nenhum filho tenho para conservar a memoria o meu nome. E deu o seu próprio nome

While Absalom was alive, he had set up stones in his honor in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to let my name be remembered.” So he called the stones after his own name. And they are there to have Absalom be remembered to this day. David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 E ntão disse Aimaaz, filho de Zadoque: Deixa-me correr, e anunciarei ao rei que o Senhor o vingou a mão e seus inimigos.

Then Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has saved him from those who hate him.”

20 M as Joabe lhe disse: Tu não serás hoje o portador das novas; outro dia as levarás, mas hoje não darás a nova, porque é morto o filho do rei.

But Joab said to him, “You must not carry news today, but another time. Today you should carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

21 D isse, porém, Joabe ao cuchita: Vai tu, e dize ao rei o que viste. O cuchita se inclinou diante de Joabe, e saiu correndo.

Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

22 E ntão prosseguiu Aimaaz, filho de Zadoque, e disse a Joabe: Seja o que for, deixa-me também correr após o cuchita. Respondeu Joabe: Para que agora correrias tu, meu filho, pois não receberias recompensa pelas novas?

Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why would you run, my son? You would receive no reward for going.”

23 s eja o que for, disse Aimaaz, correrei. Disse-lhe, pois, Joabe: Corre. Então Aimaaz correu pelo caminho da planície, e passou adiante do cuchita.

But Ahimaaz said, “Whatever happens, I will run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

24 O ra, Davi estava sentado entre as duas portas; e a sentinela subiu ao terraçorém, percebeu que seus servos cochichavam entre si, um homem que corria só.

David was sitting between the two gates. The man who kept watch went up to the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked up and saw a man running by himself.

25 G ritou, pois, a sentinela, e o disse ao rei. Respondeu o rei: Se vem só, é portador de novas. Vinha, pois, o mensageiro aproximando-se cada vez mais.

The man who kept watch called and told the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he has good news.” And he came nearer and nearer.

26 E ntão a sentinela viu outro homem que corria, e gritou ao porteiro, e disse: Eis que lá vem outro homem correndo só. Então disse o rei: Também esse traz novas.

Then the man who kept watch saw another man running. He called to the gate-keeper and said, “See, another man is running by himself.” The king said, “This one is bringing good news also.”

27 D isse mais a sentinela: O correr do primeiro parece ser o correr de Aimaaz, filho de Zadoque. Então disse o rei: Este é homem de bem, e virá com boas novas.

And the man who kept watch said, “I think the man in front runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

28 G ritou, pois, Aimaaz, e disse ao rei: Paz! E inclinou-se ao rei com o rosto em terra, e disse: Bendito seja o Senhor teu Deus, que entregou os homens que levantaram a mão contra o rei meu senhor.

Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “All is well.” He put his face to the ground in front of the king, and said, “Thanks be to the Lord your God. He has given up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”

29 E ntão perguntou o rei: Vai bem o mancebo Absalão? Respondeu Aimaaz: Quando Joabe me mandou a mim, o servo do rei, vi um grande alvoroço; porem nao sei o que era.

The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I heard noise and saw much fighting. But I did not know what it was.”

30 D isse-lhe o rei: Põe-te aqui ao lado. E ele se pôs ao lado, e esperou de pé.

Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 N isso chegou o cuchita, e disse: Novas para o rei meu senhor. Pois que hoje o Senhor te vingou da mão de todos os que se levantaram contra ti.

Then the Cushite came and said, “Let my lord the king receive good news. For the Lord has saved you today from all those who came against you.”

32 E ntão perguntou o rei ao cuchita: Vai bem o mancebo Absalão? Respondeu o cuchita: Sejam como aquele mancebo os inimigos do rei meu senhor, e todos os que se levantam contra ti para te fazerem mal.

The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May those who hate my lord the king, all those who come to do bad things against you, be as that young man!”

33 P elo que o rei ficou muito comovido e, subindo ã sala que estava por cima da porta, pôs-se a chorar; e andando, dizia assim: Meu filho Absalão, meu filho, meu filho Absalão! quem me dera que eu morrera por ti, Absalão, meu filho, meu filho!

The king filled with much sorrow. He went up to the room above the gate and cried. As he walked he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”