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!
Abšāloma nāve
1 Dāvids nostādīja karapulku, kas bija pie viņa, un iecēla virsniekus pār tūkstošiem un virsniekus pār simtiem. 2 Tad Dāvids sūtīja karapulku kaujā – trešo daļu Joāba vadībā, trešo daļu Abīšaja, Cerūjas dēla, Joāba brāļa vadībā, un trešo daļu gatieša Itaja vadībā. Ķēniņš sacīja ļaudīm: “Ietin iešu jums līdzi – es ar!” 3 Ļaudis sacīja: “Nenāc! Ja mēs bēgtin bēgsim, par mums tiem maza bēda! Ja puse no mums ies bojā, par mums tiem maza bēda! Jo tu viens pats kā desmit tūkstoši no mums – būs labāk, ja tu mūs no pilsētas atbalstīsi!”
4 Ķēniņš tiem sacīja: “Kā jums šķiet labāk, tā es darīšu!” Ķēniņš nostājās pie vārtiem, un viss karapulks izgāja pa simtiem un pa tūkstošiem. 5 Ķēniņš pavēlēja Joābam, Abīšajam un Itajam: “Es jūs lūdzu, esiet saudzīgi pret šo puisi Abšālomu!” Viss karapulks dzirdēja, ko ķēniņš par Abšālomu pavēlēja virsniekiem. 6 Karapulks izgāja Israēlam pretī, un kauja notika Efraima mežā. 7 Tur Dāvida kalpi sakāva Israēla pulku. Tā todien bija milzīga sakāve – divdesmit tūkstoši krita. 8 Kauja pletās pa visu zemi, un mežs todien aprija vairāk ļaužu nekā zobens. 9 Abšāloms sastapās ar Dāvida kalpiem. Abšāloms jāja uz mūļa, un, kad mūlis pagāja zem liela ozola zaru jūkļa, Abšāloma mati ieķērās ozola zaros un viņš palika starp debesīm un zemi, un mūlis zem viņa aizgāja. 10 Kāds vīrs to ieraudzīja un teica Joābam: “Redzi, es redzēju Abšālomu karājamies ozolā!” 11 Joābs sacīja tam vīram, kas viņam to pateica: “Kā – tu redzēji?! – kādēļ tad nenotrieci viņu turpat zemē? Tu būtu no manis dabūjis desmit sudraba gabalus un jostu!” 12 Tas vīrs atbildēja Joābam: “Pat ja man iesvērtu tūkstoš sudraba gabalu, es nepaceltu roku pret ķēniņa dēlu, jo, mums dzirdot, ķēniņš pavēlēja tev, Abīšajam un Itajam: saudzējiet taču to puisi Abšālomu! – 13 Ja es izdarītu tādu viltību, pats savai dzīvībai kaitēdams, tas nepaliktu apslēpts ķēniņam, bet tu būtu stāvējis malā.” 14 Joābs teica: “Nav man te ko gaidīt uz tevi!” – un, paķēris rokā trīs šautras, ietrieca tās Abšāloma sirdī – tas vēl dzīvs karājās ozola lapotnē. 15 Desmit puiši, Joāba ieroču nesēji, apstāja Abšālomu, kāva un nonāvēja viņu. 16 Tad Joābs pūta ragu, un karapulks pārstāja vajāt Israēlu, jo Joābs viņus apturēja. 17 Viņi ņēma Abšālomu, ielika to lielā bedrē mežā un virsū sakrāva ļoti lielu akmeņu kaudzi. Bet visi israēlieši bēga katrs uz savu telti.
18 Abšāloms, vēl dzīvs būdams, bija uzslējis sev piemiņas stabu Ķēniņu ielejā, jo viņš domāja: “Man nav dēla, kas nestu tālāk manu vārdu.” Viņš nosauca piemiņas stabu savā vārdā, un to sauc par Abšāloma piemiņas stabu līdz šai dienai.
Ziņa par uzvaru ķēniņam
19 Ahīmaacs, Cādoka dēls, teica: “Ļauj, ka skrienu un nesu ķēniņam labo ziņu, ka Kungs viņu iztiesājis no viņa ienaidnieku rokām.” 20 Joābs sacīja viņam: “Šodien tu nebūsi labās ziņas nesējs. Nesīsi ziņu citu reizi, nevis šodien, kad ķēniņa dēls miris.” 21 Un Joābs teica kādam kūšietim: “Ej, stāsti ķēniņam, ko esi redzējis!” Kūšietis palocījās Joābam un aizskrēja. 22 Ahīmaacs, Cādoka dēls, atkal sacīja Joābam: “Lai būtu kā būdams, ļauj, es arī skriešu pakaļ kūšietim!” Joābs sacīja viņam: “Kāpēc gan tu skriesi, mans dēls, – tev nav labas ziņas, ko nest!” 23 “Lai būtu kā būdams, es skriešu!” Joābs sacīja: “Skrien arī!” – un Ahīmaacs aizskrēja pa līdzenuma ceļu un apsteidza kūšieti. 24 Dāvids sēdēja starp abiem vārtiem, un sargs staigāja pa vārtu jumtu uz mūra. Viņš ieskatījās, un redzi – kāds vīrs viens pats skrien! 25 Sargs sauca un pavēstīja ķēniņam. Ķēniņš sacīja: “Ja viņš viens, tad tam ir laba ziņa.” Un tas nāca tuvāk un tuvāk. 26 Tad sargs ieraudzīja vēl vienu skrejošu vīru, un sargs uzsauca vārtu sargam: “Re, vēl viens vīrs skrien!” Ķēniņš sacīja: “Tas arī būs ziņnesis.” 27 Sargs sacīja: “Es redzu, ka pirmais skrien gluži kā Ahīmaacs, Cādoka dēls.” Ķēniņš sacīja: “Tas ir krietns vīrs un nāk ar labu ziņu.” 28 Un Ahīmaacs sauca ķēniņam: “Miers!” Viņš noliecās ķēniņam ar seju līdz zemei un sacīja: “Slavēts Kungs, tavs Dievs, kas gūstījis tos vīrus, kuri pacēla roku pret manu kungu, ķēniņu!” 29 Ķēniņš prasīja: “Kā klājas tam puisim Abšālomam?” Ahīmaacs sacīja: “Es redzēju lielu kņadu, kad Joābs izsūtīja ķēniņa kalpu un mani, tavu kalpu, bet es nezinu, kas tur bija!” 30 Ķēniņš sacīja: “Paej malā un gaidi šeit!” Viņš pagāja malā un apstājās.
31 Un redzi – ienāca kūšietis un sacīja: “Saņem labu ziņu, mans kungs, ķēniņ, jo Kungs tevi iztiesājis no visu to rokām, kas pret tevi sacēlušies!” 32 Un ķēniņš prasīja kūšietim: “Kā klājas tam puisim Abšālomam?” Kūšietis sacīja: “Lai tā, kā šim puisim, notiek ķēniņa ienaidniekiem un visiem, kas pret tevi ceļas ar ļaunu!”
