David contó¹ el pueblo que estaba con él, y puso sobre ellos comandantes de mil y comandantes de cien^a. 2 Y envió David al pueblo: una tercera parte bajo el mando^1a de Joab, una tercera parte bajo el mando² de Abisai, hijo de Sarvia, hermano de Joab, y una tercera parte bajo el mando³ de Itai geteo^b. Y el rey dijo al pueblo: Ciertamente yo también saldré con vosotros. 3 Pero el pueblo dijo: No debes salir^a; porque si tenemos que huir, no harán caso de nosotros; aunque muera la mitad de nosotros, no harán caso de nosotros. Pero tú vales por diez mil de¹ nosotros; ahora pues, será mejor que tú estés listo para ayudarnos desde la ciudad. 4 Entonces el rey les dijo: Yo haré lo que os parezca mejor¹. Y el rey se puso junto a la puerta^a, y todo el pueblo salió por centenares y por millares. 5 Y el rey mandó a Joab, a Abisai y a Itai, diciendo: Por amor a mí tratad bien al joven Absalón. Y todo el pueblo oyó cuando el rey mandó a todos los comandantes acerca de Absalón^a.

6 El pueblo salió al campo al encuentro de Israel, y se entabló la batalla en el bosque de Efraín^a. 7 Allí fue derrotado¹ el pueblo de Israel delante de los siervos de David, y la matanza aquel día allí fue grande: veinte mil hombres. 8 La¹ batalla se extendió por toda aquella región², y el bosque devoró más gente aquel día que la que devoró la espada.

9 Y Absalón se encontró con los siervos de David; y Absalón iba montado en su mulo, y pasó el mulo debajo del espeso ramaje de una gran encina, y se le trabó la cabeza^a a Absalón en la encina, y quedó colgado¹ entre el cielo y la tierra, mientras que el mulo que estaba debajo de él siguió de largo. 10 Cuando uno de los hombres vio esto, avisó a Joab, diciendo: He aquí, vi a Absalón colgado de una encina. 11 Joab dijo al hombre que le había avisado: He aquí, tú lo viste, ¿por qué no lo heriste allí derribándolo a tierra? Yo te hubiera dado diez piezas de plata y un cinturón. 12 Respondió el hombre a Joab: Aunque yo recibiera mil piezas de plata en la mano¹, no extendería la mano contra el hijo del rey; porque ante nuestros oídos el rey te ordenó a ti, a Abisai y a Itai, diciendo: «Protegedme² al joven Absalón^a». 13 De otro modo, si yo hubiera hecho traición contra su vida (y no hay nada oculto al rey^a), tú mismo te hubieras mostrado indiferente¹. 14 Respondió Joab: No malgastaré mi tiempo¹ aquí contigo. Y tomando tres dardos en la mano², los clavó en el corazón de Absalón^a mientras todavía estaba vivo en medio³ de la encina. 15 Y diez jóvenes escuderos de Joab rodearon e hirieron a Absalón y lo remataron.

16 Entonces Joab tocó la trompeta, y el pueblo regresó de perseguir a Israel, porque Joab detuvo al pueblo^a. 17 Y tomaron a Absalón, lo echaron en una fosa profunda¹ en el bosque y levantaron sobre él un gran montón de piedras^a. Y todo Israel huyó, cada uno a su tienda^b. 18 En vida, Absalón^a había tomado y erigido para sí una columna que está en el valle del Rey^b, pues se había dicho: No tengo hijo para perpetuar¹ mi nombre^c. Y llamó la columna por su propio nombre, y hasta hoy día se llama Monumento de Absalón.

19 Y Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc, dijo: Te ruego que me dejes correr y llevar las noticias al rey^a de que el SEÑOR lo ha liberado¹ de la mano de sus enemigos^b. 20 Pero Joab le dijo: Tú no eres el hombre para llevar hoy las noticias, las llevarás otro día; no llevarás noticias hoy, porque el hijo del rey ha muerto. 21 Entonces Joab dijo al cusita¹: Ve, anuncia al rey lo que has visto. Y el cusita² se inclinó ante Joab, y corrió. 22 Y Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc, volvió a decir a Joab: Pase lo que pase^a, te ruego que me dejes correr tras el cusita. Y Joab dijo: ¿Por qué correrás, hijo mío, ya que no tendrás recompensa por ir? 23 Pero él dijo: Pase lo que pase, correré. Entonces le dijo: Corre. Y Ahimaas corrió por el camino de la llanura, y pasó al cusita.

24 David estaba sentado entre las dos puertas^a; y el atalaya subió al terrado de la puerta en el muro, y alzando los ojos miró, y he aquí, un hombre que corría solo^b. 25 Y el atalaya llamó y avisó al rey. Y el rey dijo: Si viene solo hay buenas noticias en su boca. Mientras se acercaba más y más, 26 el atalaya vio a otro hombre corriendo; y el atalaya dio voces al portero, y dijo: He aquí, otro hombre corriendo solo. Y el rey dijo: Este también trae buenas noticias. 27 Y el atalaya dijo: Creo¹ que el correr del primero es como el correr de Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc^a. Y el rey dijo: Este es un buen hombre y viene con buenas noticias^b.

28 Y Ahimaas dio voces, y dijo al rey: Todo está bien¹. Se postró rostro en tierra delante del rey^a, y dijo: Bendito es el SEÑOR tu Dios, que ha entregado a los hombres que levantaron sus manos^b contra mi señor el rey. 29 Y el rey dijo: ¿Le va bien al joven^a Absalón? Y Ahimaas respondió: Cuando Joab envió al siervo del rey y a tu siervo, vi un gran tumulto, pero no supe qué era^b. 30 Entonces el rey dijo: Ponte a un lado y quédate aquí. Y él se puso a un lado, y se quedó allí.

31 Y he aquí, llegó el cusita, y dijo¹: Reciba mi señor el rey buenas noticias, porque el SEÑOR te ha librado² hoy de la mano de todos aquellos que se levantaron contra ti^a. 32 Dijo el rey al cusita: ¿Le va bien al joven Absalón^a? Y el cusita respondió: Sean como ese joven los enemigos de mi señor el rey, y todos los que se levantan contra ti para mal^b. 33 ¹Y el rey se conmovió profundamente, y subió al aposento que había encima de la puerta y lloró. Y decía así mientras caminaba: ¡Hijo mío Absalón; hijo mío, hijo mío Absalón^a! ¡Quién me diera haber muerto yo en tu lugar! ¡Absalón, hijo mío, hijo mío^b!

Then David ¹numbered the people who were with him and ^aset over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent the people out, ^aone third under the ¹command of Joab, one third under the ²command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the ³command of ^bIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “^aYou 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 ¹you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So ^athe king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And ^aall the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.

6 Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in ^athe forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were ¹defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

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 ^ahis head caught fast in the oak, so he was ¹left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 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.” 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 ^ain our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘¹Protect for me the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and ^athere is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not ¹waste time here with you.” ^aSo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the ²midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then ^aJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 They took Absalom and cast him into ¹a deep pit in the forest and ^aerected over him a very great heap of stones. And ^ball Israel fled, each to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ^aset up for himself a pillar which is in ^bthe King’s Valley, for he said, “^cI have no son ¹to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

19 Then ^aAhimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news ^bthat the LORD has ¹freed him from the hand of his enemies.” 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 today because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 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 ^ayou will have no reward for going?” 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.

24 Now ^aDavid was sitting between the two gates; and ^bthe 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. 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. 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.” 27 The watchman said, “I ¹think the running of the first one ^ais like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^bThis is a good man and comes with good news.”

28 Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “¹All is well.” And ^ahe prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “^bBlessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” 29 The king said, “^aIs 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 ^bI did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 Behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^athe LORD has ¹freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “^aIs it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^bLet the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”

33 ¹The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “^aO my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^bWould I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

David numbered the men who were with him and ^aset over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 Then David sent the ¹army out, ^aa third under the command of Joab, a third under Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the command of ^bIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the ²men, “I myself will certainly go out to fight with you.” 3 But the men said, “^aYou should not go out to battle with us. For if in fact we retreat, 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. So now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city of Mahanaim.” 4 Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So ^athe king stood beside the gate of Mahanaim, and all the army went out in groups of hundreds and of thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And ^aall the men heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

6 So the men went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in ^athe forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel who supported Absalom were defeated there by the ¹men of David, and a great slaughter took place there that day, 20,000 men. 8 For the battle there was spread out over the surface of the entire countryside, and the hazards of the forest devoured more men that day than did the sword.

9 Now Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a massive tree, and ^ahis ¹head was caught in the thick branches of the tree; and he was left hanging in midair between heaven and earth, while the mule that had been under him kept going. 10 A certain man saw it and informed Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in a tree.” 11 Joab said to the man who informed him, “You saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? ¹I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 The man told Joab, “Even if I were to feel the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for ^1awe all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect the young man Absalom, for my sake.’ 13 Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously against his life (for ^anothing is hidden from the king) you yourself would have ¹taken sides against me.” 14 Joab said, “I will not waste time with you.” ^aSo he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive and caught in the midst of the tree. 15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.

16 Then ^aJoab blew the trumpet to signal the end of the combat, and the men returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held them back. 17 They took down the body of Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest and ^aset up a huge mound of stones over him. Then ^ball Israel fled, everyone to his own tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up ^afor himself a memorial pillar which is in ^bthe King’s Valley, for he said, “^cI have ¹no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He named the memorial pillar after himself, and to this day it is called ²Absalom’s Monument.

19 Then ^aAhimaaz the son of Zadok, said, “Let me run and bring the king news that ^bthe LORD has vindicated him by rescuing him from the power of his enemies.” 20 But Joab told him, “You are not the man to carry news to King David today, but you shall carry news another day. On this day you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite (Ethiopian) , “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why should you run, my son, seeing ^ayou will have no messenger’s reward for going because you have only bad news?” 23 “But whatever happens, Let me run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain of the Jordan River and outran the Cushite.

24 Now ^aDavid was sitting between the two gates; and ^bthe lookout went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he raised his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The lookout called down and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, he has good news to tell.” And he came nearer and nearer. 26 Then the lookout saw another man running, and he called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look, another man running alone.” The king said, “He also is bringing good news.” 27 The lookout said, “I think the man in front ^aruns like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “^bHe is a good man and is coming with good news.”

28 And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “¹All is well.” And ^ahe bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, “^bBlessed be the LORD your God, who has handed over the men who lifted up their hands to fight against my lord the king.” 29 The king asked, “^aIs the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great turmoil, but ^bI do not know what it was about.” 30 The king told him, “Step aside; stand here.” And he stepped aside and stood still.

31 Behold, the Cushite (Ethiopian) arrived, and said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^athe LORD has vindicated you today by rescuing you from the hand (power) of all those who stood against you.” 32 The king asked the Cushite, “^aIs the young man Absalom my son safe?” The Cushite replied, “^bMay the enemies of my lord the king, and all those who rise against you to do evil, be dead like that young man is.”

33 ¹The king was deeply moved and went to the upper room over the gate and wept in sorrow. And this is what he said as he walked: “^aO my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^2bHow I wish that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”