II Samuel 18 · שמואל ב

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

And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Yo᾽av, and a third part under the hand of Avishay the son of Żeruya, Yo᾽av’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittay the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will surely go out with you myself also.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go out: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou shouldst be our help from the city.

And the king said to them, What seems best in your eyes I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king commanded Yo᾽av and Avishay and Ittay, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Avshalom. And all the people heard when the king charged all the captains concerning Avshalom.

So the people went into the field against Yisra᾽el: and the battle was in the wood of Efrayim:

and there the people of Yisra᾽el were beaten before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

And Avshalom met the servants of David. And Avshalom rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

And a certain man saw it, and told Yo᾽av, and said, Behold, I saw Avshalom hanging in the oak tree.

And Yo᾽av said to the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

And the man said to Yo᾽av, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, yet I would not put out my hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Avishay and Ittay, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Avshalom.

Otherwise I should have acted falsely against my own life: for there is nothing hidden from the king, and thou wouldst have stood aloof.

Then said Yo᾽av, It is not proper for me to beg before you. And he took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Avshalom, who was still alive in the midst of the oak.

And ten young men that bore Yo᾽av’s armour came round in a circle and smote Avshalom, and slew him.

And Yo᾽av blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Yisra᾽el: for Yo᾽av held back the people.

And they took Avshalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Yisra᾽el fled every one to his tent.

Now Avshalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: 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 to this day, Avshalom’s monument.

Then said Aĥima῾aż the son of Żadoq, Let me now run, and bring the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies.

And Yo᾽av said to him, Thou shalt not bear 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.

Then said Yo᾽av to the Kushite, Go and tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Kushite bowed himself to Yo᾽av, and ran.

Then said Aĥima῾aż the son of Żadoq yet again to Yo᾽av, Nonetheless, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Kushite. And Yo᾽av said, Why wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no profitable tidings?

Nevertheless, said he, let me run. And he said to him, Run. Then Aĥima῾aż ran by the way of the plain, and overtook the Kushite.

And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came nearer and nearer.

And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called to the gatekeeper, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also brings news.

And the watchman said, To my view the running of the first is like the running of Aĥima῾aż the son of Żadoq. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.

And Aĥima῾aż called, and said to the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who has delivered up the men that raised their hand against my lord the king.

And the king said, Is the young man Avshalom safe? And Aĥima῾aż answered, When Yo᾽av sent the king’s servant, and thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

And the king said to him, Turn round, and stand here. And he turned, and stood still.

And, behold, the Kushite came; and the Kushite said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the Lord has avenged thee this day of all those who rose up against thee.

And the king said to the Kushite, Is the young man Avshalom safe? And the Kushite answered, Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.