1 igitur considerato David populo suo
constituit super eum tribunos et centuriones
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 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 ad quos rex ait quod vobis rectum videtur hoc faciam
stetit ergo rex iuxta portam
egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni
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 itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israhel
et factum est proelium in saltu Ephraim
7 et caesus est ibi populus Israhel ab exercitu David
factaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium
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 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 vidit autem hoc quispiam et nuntiavit Ioab dicens
vidi Absalom pendere de quercu
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 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 sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter
nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset et tu stares ex adverso
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 cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab
et percutientes interfecerunt eum
16 cecinit autem Ioab bucina
et retinuit populum ne persequeretur fugientem Israhel
volens parcere multitudini
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 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 Achimaas autem filius Sadoc ait curram et nuntiabo regi
quia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius
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 et ait Ioab Chusi vade et nuntia regi quae vidisti
adoravit Chusi Ioab et cucurrit
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 qui respondit quid enim si cucurrero
et ait ei curre
currens ergo Achimaas per viam conpendii transivit Chusi
24 David autem sedebat inter duas portas
speculator vero qui erat in fastigio portae super murum
elevans oculos vidit hominem currentem solum
25 et exclamans indicavit regi
dixitque rex si solus est bonus est nuntius in ore eius
properante autem illo et accedente propius
26 vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem
et vociferans in culmine ait
apparet mihi homo currens solus
dixitque rex et iste bonus est nuntius
27 speculator autem contemplor ait cursum prioris quasi cursum Achimaas
filii Sadoc
et ait rex vir bonus est et nuntium portans bonum venit
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 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 ad quem rex transi ait et sta hic
cumque ille transisset et staret
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 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 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
1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: 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 succour us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6 ¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men . 8 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.
9 ¶ And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it , and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto 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. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me . 14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
18 ¶ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: 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 unto this day, Absalom’s place.
19 ¶ Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto 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. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But howsoever, said he , let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. 24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto 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, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was . 30 And the king said unto him , Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is .
33 ¶ And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!