18:1
igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eumtribunos et centuriones

18:2
et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Ioab et tertiam inmanu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab et tertiam sub manuEthai qui erat de Geth dixitque rex ad populum egrediar et egovobiscum

18:3
et respondit populus non exibis sive enim fugerimus nonmagnopere ad eos de nobis pertinebit sive media pars ceciderite nobis non satis curabunt quia tu unus pro decem milibusconputaris melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe praesidio

18:4
ad quos rex ait quod vobis rectum videtur hoc faciam stetitergo rex iuxta portam egrediebaturque populus per turmas suascenteni et milleni

18:5
et praecepit rex Ioab et Abisai et Ethai dicens servatemihi puerum Absalom et omnis populus audiebat praecipientemregem cunctis principibus pro Absalom

18:6
itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israhel etfactum est proelium in saltu Ephraim

18:7
et caesus est ibi populus Israhel ab exercitu Davidfactaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium

18:8
fuit autem ibi proelium dispersum super faciem omnis terraeet multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo quamhii quos voraverat gladius in die illa

18:9
accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David sedensmulo cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum etmagnam adhesit caput eius quercui et illo suspenso inter caelumet terram mulus cui sederat pertransivit

18:10
vidit autem hoc quispiam et nuntiavit Ioab dicens vidiAbsalom pendere de quercu

18:11
et ait Ioab viro qui nuntiaverat ei si vidisti quare nonconfodisti eum cum terra et ego dedissem tibi decem argentisiclos et unum balteum

18:12
qui dixit ad Ioab si adpenderes in manibus meis milleargenteos nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regisaudientibus enim nobis praecepit rex tibi et Abisai et Ethaidicens custodite mihi puerum Absalom

18:13
sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter nequaquamhoc regem latere potuisset et tu stares ex adverso

18:14
et ait Ioab non sicut tu vis sed adgrediar eum coram tetulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua et infixit eas in cordeAbsalom cumque adhuc palpitaret herens in quercu

18:15
cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab et percutientesinterfecerunt eum

18:16
cecinit autem Ioab bucina et retinuit populum nepersequeretur fugientem Israhel volens parcere multitudini

18:17
et tulerunt Absalom et proiecerunt eum in saltu in foveamgrandem et conportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnumnimis omnis autem Israhel fugit in tabernacula sua

18:18
porro Absalom erexerat sibi cum adhuc viveret titulum quiest in valle Regis dixerat enim non habeo filium et hoc eritmonumentum nominis mei vocavitque titulum nomine suo etappellatur manus Absalom usque ad hanc diem

18:19
Achimaas autem filius Sadoc ait curram et nuntiabo regiquia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius

18:20
ad quem Ioab dixit non eris nuntius in hac die sednuntiabis in alia hodie nolo te nuntiare filius enim regis estmortuus

18:21
et ait Ioab Chusi vade et nuntia regi quae vidistiadoravit Chusi Ioab et cucurrit

18:22
rursum autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab quidinpedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi dixitque Ioab quid viscurrere fili mi non eris boni nuntii baiulus

18:23
qui respondit quid enim si cucurrero et ait ei currecurrens ergo Achimaas per viam conpendii transivit Chusi

18:24
David autem sedebat inter duas portas speculator vero quierat in fastigio portae super murum elevans oculos vidithominem currentem solum

18:25
et exclamans indicavit regi dixitque rex si solus estbonus est nuntius in ore eius properante autem illo etaccedente propius

18:26
vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem et vociferansin culmine ait apparet mihi homo currens solus dixitque rex etiste bonus est nuntius

18:27
speculator autem contemplor ait cursum prioris quasicursum Achimaas filii Sadoc et ait rex vir bonus est et nuntiumportans bonum venit

18:28
clamans autem Achimaas dixit ad regem salve et adoransregem coram eo pronus in terram ait benedictus Dominus Deustuus qui conclusit homines qui levaverunt manus suas contradominum meum regem

18:29
et ait rex estne pax puero Absalom dixitque Achimaas viditumultum magnum cum mitteret Ioab servus tuus o rex me servumtuum nescio aliud

18:30
ad quem rex transi ait et sta hic cumque ille transissetet staret

18:31
apparuit Chusi et veniens ait bonum adporto nuntium dominemi rex iudicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium quisurrexerunt contra te

18:32
dixit autem rex ad Chusi estne pax puero Absalom cuirespondens Chusi fiant inquit sicut puer inimici domini meiregis et universi qui consurgunt adversum eum in malum

18:33
contristatus itaque rex ascendit cenaculum portae etflevit et sic loquebatur vadens fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalomquis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te Absalom fili mi fili mi

Continued...

018:001
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.

018:002
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.

018:003
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 succor us out of the city.

018:004
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.

018:005
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.

018:006
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

018:007
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.

018:008
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.

018:009
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.

018:010
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

018:011
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.

018:012
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.

018:013
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.

018:014
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.

018:015
And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

018:016
And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

018:017
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.

018:018
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.

018:019
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.

018:020
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.

018:021
Then said Joab to Cushy, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushy bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

018:022
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushy. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

018:023
But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushy.

018:024
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.

018:025
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.

018:026
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.

018:027
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.

018:028
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.

018:029
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.

018:030
And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

018:031
And, behold, Cushy came; and Cushy said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

018:032
And the king said unto Cushy, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushy answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

018:033
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!

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