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

And David inspecteth the people who with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,

2 A nd 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.”

and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, `I certainly go out -- I also -- with you.'

3 B ut 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.”

And the people say, `Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set heart unto us -- for now like us ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.'

4 T he 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.

And the king saith unto them, `That which is good in your eyes I do;' and the king standeth at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,

5 T he 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.

and the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, `Gently -- for me, for the youth, for Absalom;' and all the people heard in the king's charging all the heads concerning Absalom.

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

And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;

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

and smitten there are the people of Israel before the servants of David, and the smiting there is great on that day -- twenty thousand;

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

and the battle is there scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplieth to devour among the people more than those whom the sword hath devoured in that day.

9 A bsalom 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.

And Absalom meeteth before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule cometh in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head taketh hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that under him hath passed on.

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

And one man seeth, and declareth to Joab, and saith, `Lo, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.'

11 J oab 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.”

And Joab saith to the man who is declaring to him, `And lo, thou hast seen -- and wherefore didst thou not smite him there to the earth -- and on me to give to thee ten silverlings and one girdle?'

12 T he 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.’

And the man saith unto Joab, `Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who against the youth -- against Absalom;

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

or I had done against my soul a vain thing, and no matter is hid from the king, and thou -- thou dost station thyself over-against.'

14 T hen 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.

And Joab saith, `Not right -- I tarry before thee;' and he taketh three darts in his hand, and striketh them into the heart of Absalom, while he alive, in the midst of the oak.

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

And they go round -- ten youths bearing weapons of Joab -- and smite Absalom, and put him to death.

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

And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and the people turneth back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab hath kept back the people;

17 T hey 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.

and they take Absalom and cast him in the forest unto the great pit, and set up over him a very great heap of stones, and all Israel have fled -- each to his tent.

18 W hile 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

And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that in the king's valley, for he said, `I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called `The monument of Absalom' unto this day.

19 T hen Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has saved him from those who hate him.”

And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, `Let me run, I pray thee, and I bear the king tidings, for Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies;'

20 B ut 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.”

and Joab saith to him, `Thou art not a man of tidings this day, but thou hast borne tidings on another day, and this day thou dost not bear tidings, because the king's son dead.'

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

And Joab saith to Cushi, `Go, declare to the king that which thou hast seen;' and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth.

22 Z adok’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.”

And Ahimaaz son of Zadok addeth again, and saith unto Joab, `And whatever it be, let me run, I pray thee, I also, after the Cushite.' And Joab saith, `Why this -- thou art running, my son, and for thee there are no tidings found?' --

23 B ut 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.

`And, whatever it be, let me run.' And he saith to him, `Run;' and Ahimaaz runneth the way of the circuit, and passeth by the Cushite.

24 D avid 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.

And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goeth unto the roof of the gate, unto the wall, and lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a man running by himself.

25 T he 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.

And the watchman calleth, and declareth to the king, and the king saith, `If by himself, tidings in his mouth;' and he cometh, coming on and drawing near.

26 T hen 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.”

And the watchman seeth another man running, and the watchman calleth unto the gatekeeper, and saith, `Lo, a man running by himself;' and the king saith, `Also this one is bearing tidings.'

27 A nd 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.”

And the watchman saith, `I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' And the king saith, `This a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.'

28 A himaaz 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.”

And Ahimaaz calleth and saith unto the king, `Peace;' and he boweth himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and saith, `Blessed Jehovah thy God who hath shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'

29 T he 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.”

And the king saith, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And Ahimaaz saith, `I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant Joab, and I have not known what.'

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

And the king saith, `Turn round, station thyself here;' and he turneth round and standeth still.

31 T hen 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.”

And lo, the Cushite hath come, and the Cushite saith, `Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for Jehovah hath delivered thee to-day out of the hand of all those rising up against thee.'

32 T he 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!”

And the king saith unto the Cushite, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And the Cushite saith, `Let them be -- as the youth -- the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against thee for evil.'

33 T he 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!”

And the king trembleth, and goeth up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weepeth, and thus he hath said in his going, `My son! Absalom my son; my son Absalom; oh that I had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son.'