1
Then
David numbered the
people who were with him and
set over them
commanders of
thousands and
commanders of
hundreds.
~,f'Y;w w{Tia r,v]a ~'['h -t,a diw'D d{q.piY;w ? tw{aem yer'f.w ~yip'l]a yer'f ~,hyel][
2
David sent the
people out, one
third under the
command of
Joab, one
third under the
command of
Abishai the
son of
Zeruiah,
Joab's brother, and one
third under the
command of
Ittai the
Gittite. And the
king said to the
people, "I
myself will
surely go out with you
also."
b'aw{y -d;y.B tyivil.V;h ~'['h -t,a diw'D x;L;v.y;w ? yix]a h'y.Wr.c -n,B y;vyib]a d;y.B tyivil.V;h.w ? r,ma{Y;w yiTiG;h y;Tia d;y.B tivil.V;h.w b'aw{y ? ~,k'Mi[ yin]a -m;G aecea a{c'y ~'['h -l,a .$,l,M;h
3
But the
people said, "You should not
go out; for
if we
indeed flee, they will not
care * about us; even
if half of us
die, they will not
care * about us. But you are worth
ten thousand of us; therefore
now it is
better that you be ready to
help us from the
city."
s.Wn'n s{n -mia yiK aecet a{l ~'['h r,ma{Y;w ? .Wney.c,x .WtUm'y -mia.w bel .Wnyelea .Wmyif'y -a{l ? .Wn{m'k h'T;[ -yiK bel .Wnyelea .Wmyif'y -a{l ? .Wn'L -h,y.hit -yiK bw{j h'T;[.w ~yip'l]a h'r'f][ ? ryiz.[;l ryi[em
4
Then the
king said to them,
"Whatever seems best to you I will
do." So the
king stood beside * the
gate, and
all the
people went out by
hundreds and
thousands.
~,kyenye[.B b;jyIy -r,v]a .$,l,M;h ~,hyel]a r,ma{Y;w ? ~'['h -l'k.w r;[;V;h d;y -l,a .$,l,M;h d{m][;Y;w h,f/[,a ? ~yip'l]a;l.w tw{aem.l .Wa.c'y
5
The
king charged Joab and
Abishai and
Ittai,
saying, "Deal
gently for my sake with the
young man Absalom." And
all the
people heard when the
king charged all the
commanders concerning * Absalom.
y;Tia -t,a.w y;vyib]a -t,a.w b'aw{y -t,a .$,l,M;h w;c.y;w ? ~'['h -l'k.w ~w{l'v.b;a.l r;[;N;l yil -j;a.l r{mael ? r;b.D -l;[ ~yir'F;h -l'K -t,a .$,l,M;h t{.W;c.B .W[.m'v ? ~w{l'v.b;a
6
Then the
people went out into the
field against Israel, and the
battle took place in the
forest of
Ephraim.
yih.T;w lea'r.fIy ta;r.qil h,d'F;h ~'['h aeceY;w ? ~Iy'r.p,a r;[;y.B h'm'x.liM;h
7
The
people of
Israel were
defeated there before the
servants of
David, and the
slaughter there that
day was
great,
20,000 * men.
diw'd yed.b;[ yen.pil lea'r.fIy ~;[ ~'v .Wp.g'NiY;w ? a.Wh;h ~w{Y;B h'lw{d.g h'peG;M;h ~'v -yih.T;w ? @,l'a ~yir.f,[
8
For the
battle there was
spread over * the
whole countryside, and the
forest devoured more people that
day than * the
sword devoured.
#,r'a'h -l'k yen.P -l;[ tyec{p'n h'm'x.liM;h ~'v -yih.T;w ? b,r,x;h h'l.k'a r,v]aem ~'['B l{k/a,l r;[;Y;h b,r,Y;w ? a.Wh;h ~w{Y;B
9
Now
Absalom happened to
meet the
servants of
David. For
Absalom was
riding on his
mule, and the
mule went under the
thick branches of a
great oak. And his
head caught fast in the
oak, so he was
left hanging between heaven and
earth, while the
mule that was
under him kept
going.
~w{l'v.b;a.w diw'd yed.b;[ yen.pil ~w{l'v.b;a aer'QiY;w ? .$,bw{f t;x;T d,r,P;h a{b'Y;w d,r,P;h -l;[ bek{r ? !;TUY;w h'lea'b w{va{r q;z/x,Y;w h'lw{d.G;h h'lea'h ? wy'T.x;T -r,v]a d,r,P;h.w #,r'a'h !yeb.W ~Iy;m'V;h !yeB ? r'b'[
10
When a
certain man saw it, he
told Joab and
said,
"Behold, I
saw Absalom hanging in an
oak."
heNih r,ma{Y;w b'aw{y.l deG;Y;w d'x,a vyia a.r;Y;w ? h'lea'B y.Wl'T ~{l'v.b;a -t,a yityia'r
11
Then
Joab said to the
man who had
told him, "Now
behold, you
saw him!
Why then did you not
strike him
there to the
ground? And I would have
given you
ten pieces of
silver and a
belt."
'tyia'r heNih.w w{l dyiG;M;h vyia'l b'aw{y r,ma{Y;w ? t,t'l y;l'[.w h'c.r'a ~'v w{tyiKih -a{l ;[.WD;m.W ? t'x,a h'r{g]x;w @,s,k h'r'f][ '$.l
12
The
man said to
Joab, "Even
if I should
receive a
thousand pieces of
silver in my
hand, I would not
put out my
hand against the
king's son; for in our
hearing the
king charged you and
Abishai and
Ittai,
saying,
'Protect for me the
young man Absalom!'
leq{v yik{n'a a{l.w b'aw{y -l,a vyia'h r,ma{Y;w ? -n,B -l,a yid'y x;l.v,a -a{l @,s,K @,l,a y;P;K -l;[ ? y;vyib]a -t,a.w '$.t{a .$,l,M;h h\Wic .Wnyen.z'a.b yiK .$,l,M;h ? ~w{l'v.b;a.B r;[;N;B yim -.Wr.miv r{mael y;Tia -t,a.w
13
"Otherwise, if I had
dealt treacherously against his
life (and there is
nothing * * hidden from the
king ), then you
yourself would have
stood aloof *."
dex'KIy -a{l r'b'D -l'k.w r,q,v w{v.p;n.b yityif'[ -w{a ? d,g,Nim beC;y.tiT h'T;a.w .$,l,M;h -nim
14
Then
Joab said, "I will not
waste time here with you." So he
took three spears in his
hand and
thrust them through the
heart of
Absalom while he was
yet alive in the
midst of the
oak.
x;QiY;w '$y,n'p.l h'lyix{a !ek -a{l b'aw{y r,ma{Y;w ? ~w{l'v.b;a bel.B ~e['q.tiY;w w{P;k.B ~yij'b.v h'v{l.v ? h'lea'h bel.B y;x .WN,dw{[
15
And
ten young men who
carried Joab's armor gathered around and
struck Absalom and
killed him.
b'aw{y yel.K yea.f{n ~yir'[.n h'r'f][ .WB{s'Y;w ? .WhUtyim.y;w ~w{l'v.b;a -t,a .WK;Y;w
16
Then
Joab blew the
trumpet, and the
people returned from
pursuing Israel, for
Joab restrained the
people.
yer]x;a @{d.rim ~'['h b'v'Y;w r'p{V;B b'aw{y [;q.tiY;w ? ~'['h -t,a b'aw{y .$;f'x -yiK lea'r.fIy
17
They
took Absalom and
cast him into a
deep pit in the
forest and
erected over him a
very great heap of
stones. And
all Israel fled,
each to his
tent.
r;[;Y;b w{t{a .Wkyil.v;Y;w ~w{l'v.b;a -t,a .Wx.qiY;w ? ~yin'b]a -l;G wy'l'[ .WbiC;Y;w lw{d'G;h t;x;P;h -l,a ? w{leh{a.l vyia .Ws'n lea'r.fIy -l'k.w d{a.m lw{d'G
18
Now
Absalom in his
lifetime had
taken and
set up for himself a
pillar which is in the
King's Valley, for he
said, "I
have no son to
preserve my
name." So he
named the
pillar after his own
name, and it is
called Absalom's Monument to
this day.
t,b,C;m -t,a w'y;x.b w{l -b,C;Y;w x;q'l ~{l'v.b;a.w ? !eb yil -nyea r;m'a yiK .$,l,M;h -q,me[.B r,v]a ? w{m.v -l;[ t,b,C;M;l a'r.qiY;w yim.v ryiK.z;h r.Wb][;B ? h,Z;h ~w{Y;h d;[ ~{l'v.b;a d;y H'l aer'QiY;w
19
Then
Ahimaaz the
son of
Zadok said,
"Please let me
run and
bring the
king news that the
LORD has
freed him from the
hand of his
enemies."
h'r.F;b]a;w a'N h'c.Wr'a r;m'a qw{d'c -n,B #;[;myix]a;w ? wy'b.y{a d;Yim h'wh.y w{j'p.v -yiK .$,l,M;h -t,a
20
But
Joab said to him, "You are not the
man to
carry news this day, but you shall
carry news another day; however, you shall
carry no news to
day because * the
king's son is
dead."
~w{Y;h h'T;a h'r{f.B vyia a{l b'aw{y w{l r,ma{Y;w ? a{l h,Z;h ~w{Y;h.w rex;a ~w{y.B 'T.r;Fib.W h,Z;h ? tem .$,l,M;h -n,B l;[ -yiK reF;b.t
21
Then
Joab said to the
Cushite,
"Go,
tell the
king what you have
seen." So the
Cushite bowed to
Joab and
ran.
r,v]a .$,l,M;l deG;h .$el yiv.WK;l b'aw{y r,ma{Y;w ? #{r'Y;w b'aw{y.l yiv.Wk .Wx;T.viY;w h'tyia'r
22
Now
Ahimaaz the
son of
Zadok said once * more * to
Joab, "But
whatever happens,
please let me
also run after the
Cushite." And
Joab said,
"Why * would you
run, my
son, since you will
have no reward for
going?"
r,ma{Y;w qw{d'c -n,B #;[;myix]a dw{[ @,s{Y;w ? yin'a -m;g a'N -h'cUr'a h'm yihyiw b'aw{y -l,a ? h'T;a h,Z -h'M'l b'aw{y r,ma{Y;w yiv.WK;h yer]x;a ? taec{m h'rw{f.B -nyea h'k.l.W yin.B #'r
23
"But
whatever happens," he said, "I will
run." So he
said to him,
"Run." Then
Ahimaaz ran by
way of the
plain and
passed up the
Cushite.
#'r'Y;w #.Wr w{l r,ma{Y;w #.Wr'a h'm -yihyiw ? yiv.WK;h -t,a r{b][;Y;w r'KiK;h .$,r,D #;[;myix]a
24
Now
David was
sitting between the
two gates; and the
watchman went up to the
roof of the
gate by the
wall, and
raised his
eyes and
looked, and
behold, a
man running by
himself.
.$,leY;w ~yir'[.V;h yen.v -nyeB bevw{y diw'd.w ? a'FiY;w h'mw{x;h -l,a r;[;V;h g;G -l,a h,p{C;h ? w{D;b.l #'r vyia -heNih.w a.r;Y;w wy'nye[ -t,a
25
The
watchman called and
told the
king. And the
king said,
"If he is by
himself there is good
news in his
mouth." And he
came nearer and
nearer.
.$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w .$,l,M;l deG;Y;w h,p{C;h a'r.qiY;w ? ber'q.w .$w{l'h .$,leY;w wyip.B h'rw{f.B w{D;b.l -mia
26
Then the
watchman saw another man running; and the
watchman called to the
gatekeeper and
said,
"Behold, another
man running by
himself." And the
king said,
"This one also is
bringing good
news."
h,p{C;h a'r.qiY;w #'r rex;a -vyia h,p{C;h a.r;Y;w ? w{D;b.l #'r vyia -heNih r,ma{Y;w re[{V;h -l,a ? reF;b.m h,z -m;G .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w
27
The
watchman said, "I
think the
running of the
first one is like the
running of
Ahimaaz the
son of
Zadok." And the
king said,
"This is a
good man and
comes with
good news."
!w{vair'h t;c.Wr.m -t,a h,a{r yin]a h,p{C;h r,ma{Y;w ? .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w qw{d'c -n,B #;[;myix]a t;cUr.miK ? aw{b'y h'bw{j h'rw{f.B -l,a.w h,z bw{j -vyia
28
Ahimaaz called and
said to the
king, "All is
well." And he
prostrated himself before the
king with his
face to the
ground. And he
said,
"Blessed is the
LORD your
God,
who has
delivered up the
men who lifted their
hands against my
lord the
king."
~w{l'v .$,l,M;h -l,a r,ma{Y;w #;[;myix]a a'r.qiY;w ? .$.Wr'B r,ma{Y;w h'c.r'a wy'P;a.l .$,l,M;l .Wx;T.viY;w ? .Wa.f'n -r,v]a ~yiv'n]a'h -t,a r;Gis r,v]a '$y,h{l/a h'wh.y ? .$,l,M;h yin{da;B ~'d'y -t,a
29
The
king said, "Is it
well with the
young man Absalom?" And
Ahimaaz answered, "When
Joab sent the
king's servant, and your
servant, I
saw a
great tumult, but I did not
know what it was."
r,ma{Y;w ~w{l'v.b;a.l r;[;N;l ~w{l'v .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? d,b,[ -t,a ;x{l.vil lw{d'G;h !w{m'h,h yityia'r #;[;myix]a ? h'm yiT.[;d'y a{l.w '$,D.b;[ -t,a.w b'aw{y .$,l,M;h
30
Then the
king said,
"Turn aside and
stand here." So he
turned aside and
stood still.
d{m][;Y;w b{SiY;w h{K beC;y.tih b{s .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w
31
Behold, the
Cushite arrived, and the
Cushite said, "Let my
lord the
king receive good
news, for the
LORD has
freed you this
day from the
hand of
all those who
rose up
against you."
reF;B.tIy yiv.WK;h r,ma{Y;w a'B yiv.WK;h heNih.w ? d;Yim ~w{Y;h h'wh.y '$.j'p.v -yiK .$,l,M;h yin{d]a ? '$y,l'[ ~yim'Q;h -l'K
32
Then the
king said to the
Cushite, "Is it
well with the
young man Absalom?" And the
Cushite answered, "Let the
enemies of my
lord the
king, and
all who rise up
against you for
evil, be as that
young man!"
r;[;N;l ~w{l'v]h yiv.WK;h -l,a .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? yeb.y{a r;[;N;k .Wy.hIy yiv.WK;h r,ma{Y;w ~w{l'v.b;a.l ? h'['r.l '$y,l'[ .Wm'q -r,v]a l{k.w .$,l,M;h yin{d]a
33
The
king was
deeply moved and
went up to the
chamber over the
gate and
wept. And
thus he
said as he
walked, "O my
son Absalom, my
son, my
son Absalom!
Would * I had
died instead of you, O
Absalom, my
son, my
son!"
.K.beY;w r;[;V;h t;Yil][ -l;[ l;[;Y;w .$,l,M;h z;G.riY;w ? yin.b yin.B ~w{l'v.b;a yin.B w{T.k,l.B r;m'a h{k.w ? ~w{l'v.b;a<053!> '$y,T.x;t yin]a yit.Wm !eTIy -yim ~w{l'v.b;a ? yin.b yin.B