1 And David mustered the people who were with him, and he appointed over them commanders of thousands {alafim: thousand units} and commanders of hundreds {meot: hundred units}.
2 And David sent out the people {am: assembled group} who were with him, dividing them into thirds: a third under the hand of Joab, a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. Then the king {melech: anointed leader} said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you.”
3 But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee or are made to flee, they will not set their hearts{lev: inner focus} upon us; even if half of us die, they will not set their hearts upon us. For now you are like ten thousand of us, so it is better that you give help{laazir: give aid} to us from the city.”
4 And the king{hamelekh: royal authority} said, “Whatever seems good{yeitav: morally fitting} in your eyes, I will do.” And the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the king {melek: royal command} commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man {na’ar: young man under protection}, Absalom.” And all the people heard the king give orders to every commander concerning Absalom.
6 And the people marched out into the field{ha-sadeh: battlefield area} to confront Israel, and the battle took place in the forest{be-yaar: wooded area} of Ephraim.
7 And there the people of Israel were struck down before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter {magefah: deadly massacre} on that day—twenty thousand {alef: a count of a thousand} men.
8 And the battle {milchamah: military engagement} was scattered there and dispersed across the face of the whole land, and the forest {ya’ar: wooded region} consumed more people than the sword did on that day.
9 And it happened that Absalom came before the servants of David, and he was riding on a mule that went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head {rosh: head and hair} became caught in the oak, and he was left hanging between the heavens and the earth while the mule that was under him {tachtav: support removed} continued on its way.
10 And a certain man saw and told Joab, and he said, “Behold, I saw Absalom {Avshalom: David’s son} hanging in the oak tree {elah: strong large tree}.”
11 And Joab said to the man who was reporting {hamaggid: newsbearer} to him, “Behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him there on the ground? Then it would have fallen to me to give you ten pieces of silver and one belt {chagorah: warrior sash}.”
12 And the man said to Joab, “Even if I were weighing a thousand shekels of silver in my palms, I would not lay my hand against the king {ha-melekh: sovereign ruler}’s son, for we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect {shimru: guard closely} the young man Absalom.’”
13 Otherwise, I would have acted falsely against my life, for not a matter {davar: every detail} would have been hidden from the king, and you would have kept your distance {neged: direct presence}.
14 And Joab said, “I will not linger like this before you.” Then he took three javelins {shevatim: throwing weapons} in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s {avshalom: father of peace} heart while he was still alive in the heart of the oak tree.
15 Then ten young men {ne'arim: military youths}, the armor-bearers {nose'ei: equipment bearers} of Joab, surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet {shofar: ram’s horn}, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained {chashach: checked momentum} the people.
17 And they took Absalom and threw him into the great pit in the forest, and they set up over him a very large heap {gal: burial mound} of stones. Then all Israel fled, each man to his tent {ohel: dwelling place}.
18 Absalom took and erected for himself during his lifetime a pillar in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to preserve my name {shemi: personal legacy}.” And he named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument {yad: memorial marker} to this day.
19 And Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, “Let me run, please, and let me bring news to the king, for the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies {oyev: hostile adversaries}.”
20 And Joab said, “You are not a bearer of news {besorah: dispatch of tidings} this day, and you shall bring news on another day; but today you shall not bring news because the king’s son {ben: royal heir} is dead.”
21 And Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell{haged: formal proclamation} the king{melech: supreme ruler} what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed down to Joab and ran.
22 And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, added again and said to Joab, “Whatever may happen, please let me also run after the Cushite {ha kushiy: native of Cush}.” And Joab said to him, “Why are you running, my son? You will have no reward for the news {besorah: battle report}.”
23 And he said, “Whatever may be, I will run.” Then Joab said to him, “Run!” So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain {hakikkar: open field} and overtook the Cushite {hakushi: royal messenger}.
24 And David was sitting between the two gates{sha'arim: gateway entrances}, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate above the wall. He saw a man running alone{levado: by himself}.
25 The watchman saw and reported to the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news {mesorah: report or message} in his mouth.” And he kept coming closer {halokh: continually approaching}.
26 The watchman saw another man running, and he called to the gate{sha’ar: city entrance} and said, “Look! A man is running alone.” Then the king said, “This one too is bringing news{mevaser: announcement of victory}.”
27 And the watchman said, “I see the first runner {merutsat: leading competitor} is running like Ahimaaz son-of-Zadok.” Then the king said, “He is a good man, and he will come with good news {besorah: victorious report}.”
28 And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “Peace!” Then he bowed down {vayishtachu: act of formal prostration} to the king, his face to the ground, and said, “Blessed is the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} your God who has delivered the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.”
29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom {Avshalom: rebellious son}?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me, your servant, I saw a great crowd {hamon: noisy gathering}, but I did not know what it was.”
30 Then the king {melekh: royal authority} said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood there {hityatzev: stationed himself}.
31 And behold, the Cushite came and said, “Let there be good news {yitbasher: announcement of victory} for my lord the king, for the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Deliverer} has delivered you today from the hand of all those who rose up against you.”
32 And the king {melech: sovereign ruler} said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man, with Absalom?” And the Cushite said, “May the enemies {oyev: adversary} of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.”
33 And the king {melekh: sovereign ruler} was shaken and went up to the upper room over the gate and wept {bakah: intense sorrowful crying}; and as he was going, he said, “My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—Absalom, my son, my son!”