English Standard Version ESV
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
1
igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eum tribunos et centuriones
2 And David sent out the army, 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 men, “I myself will also go out with you. ”
2
et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Ioab et tertiam in manu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab et tertiam sub manu Ethai qui erat de Geth dixitque rex ad populum egrediar et ego vobiscum
3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city. ”
3
et respondit populus non exibis sive enim fugerimus non magnopere ad eos de nobis pertinebit sive media pars ceciderit e nobis non satis curabunt quia tu unus pro decem milibus conputaris melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe praesidio
4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do. ” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
4
ad quos rex ait quod vobis rectum videtur hoc faciam stetit ergo rex iuxta portam egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni
5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. ” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
5
et praecepit rex Ioab et Abisai et Ethai dicens servate mihi puerum Absalom et omnis populus audiebat praecipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
6
itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israhel et factum est proelium in saltu Ephraim
7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.
7
et caesus est ibi populus Israhel ab exercitu David factaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium
8 The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.
8
fuit autem ibi proelium dispersum super faciem omnis terrae et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo quam hii quos voraverat gladius in die illa
9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. 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, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
9
accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David sedens mulo cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam adhesit caput eius quercui et illo suspenso inter caelum et terram mulus cui sederat pertransivit
10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. ”
10
vidit autem hoc quispiam et nuntiavit Ioab dicens vidi Absalom pendere de quercu
11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt. ”
11
et ait Ioab viro qui nuntiaverat ei si vidisti quare non confodisti eum cum terra et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos et unum balteum
12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom. ’
12
qui dixit ad Ioab si adpenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis audientibus enim nobis praecepit rex tibi et Abisai et Ethai dicens custodite mihi puerum Absalom
13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life(and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof. ”
13
sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset et tu stares ex adverso
14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you. ” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.
14
et ait Ioab non sicut tu vis sed adgrediar eum coram te tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua et infixit eas in corde Absalom cumque adhuc palpitaret herens in quercu
15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
15
cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab et percutientes interfecerunt eum
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them.
16
cecinit autem Ioab bucina et retinuit populum ne persequeretur fugientem Israhel volens parcere multitudini
17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.
17
et tulerunt Absalom et proiecerunt eum in saltu in foveam grandem et conportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis omnis autem Israhel fugit in tabernacula sua
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. ” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.
18
porro Absalom erexerat sibi cum adhuc viveret titulum qui est in valle Regis dixerat enim non habeo filium et hoc erit monumentum nominis mei vocavitque titulum nomine suo et appellatur manus Absalom usque ad hanc diem
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies. ”
19
Achimaas autem filius Sadoc ait curram et nuntiabo regi quia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius
20 And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead. ”
20
ad quem Ioab dixit non eris nuntius in hac die sed nuntiabis in alia hodie nolo te nuntiare filius enim regis est mortuus
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen. ” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.
21
et ait Ioab Chusi vade et nuntia regi quae vidisti adoravit Chusi Ioab et cucurrit
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite. ” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news? ”
22
rursum autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab quid inpedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi dixitque Ioab quid vis currere fili mi non eris boni nuntii baiulus
23 “Come what may, ” he said, “I will run. ” So he said to him, “Run. ” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
23
qui respondit quid enim si cucurrero et ait ei curre currens ergo Achimaas per viam conpendii transivit Chusi
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.
24
David autem sedebat inter duas portas speculator vero qui erat in fastigio portae super murum elevans oculos vidit hominem currentem solum
25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. ” And he drew nearer and nearer.
25
et exclamans indicavit regi dixitque rex si solus est bonus est nuntius in ore eius properante autem illo et accedente propius
26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone! ” The king said, “He also brings news. ”
26
vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem et vociferans in culmine ait apparet mihi homo currens solus dixitque rex et iste bonus est nuntius
27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. ” And the king said, “He is a good man and comes with good news. ”
27
speculator autem contemplor ait cursum prioris quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc et ait rex vir bonus est et nuntium portans bonum venit
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well. ” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king. ”
28
clamans autem Achimaas dixit ad regem salve et adorans regem coram eo pronus in terram ait benedictus Dominus Deus tuus qui conclusit homines qui levaverunt manus suas contra dominum meum regem
29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom? ” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was. ”
29
et ait rex estne pax puero Absalom dixitque Achimaas vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Ioab servus tuus o rex me servum tuum nescio aliud
30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here. ” So he turned aside and stood still.
30
ad quem rex transi ait et sta hic cumque ille transisset et staret
31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you. ”
31
apparuit Chusi et veniens ait bonum adporto nuntium domine mi rex iudicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te
32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom? ” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man. ”
32
dixit autem rex ad Chusi estne pax puero Absalom cui respondens Chusi fiant inquit sicut puer inimici domini mei regis et universi qui consurgunt adversum eum in malum
33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son! ”
33
contristatus itaque rex ascendit cenaculum portae et flevit et sic loquebatur vadens fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalom quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te Absalom fili mi fili mi
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.