2 Samuel 18
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), second edition
1Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
1ΚΑΙ ἐπεσκέψατο Δαυὶδ τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέστησεν ἐπ' αὐτῶν χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους.
2He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
2καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ τὸν λαόν, τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἰωὰβ καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἀβεσσὰ υἱοῦ Σαρουΐας ἀδελφοῦ Ἰωὰβ καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἐθθὶ τοῦ Γεθθαίου. καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τὸν λαόν· ἐξελθὼν ἐξελεύσομαι καί γε ἐγὼ μεθ' ὑμῶν.
3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
3καὶ εἶπαν· οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ, ὅτι ἐὰν φυγῇ φύγωμεν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς καρδίαν, καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνωμεν τὸ ἥμισυ ἡμῶν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς καρδίαν, ὅτι σὺ ὡς ἡμεῖς δέκα χιλιάδες· καὶ νῦν ἀγαθὸν ὅτι ἔσῃ ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ πόλει βοήθεια τοῦ βοηθεῖν.
4“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
4καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεύς· ὃ ἐὰν ἀρέσῃ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν, ποιήσω. καὶ ἔστη ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνὰ χεῖρα τῆς πύλης, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐξεπορεύετο εἰς ἑκατοντάδας καὶ εἰς χιλιάδας.
5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
5καὶ ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Ἰωὰβ καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐθθὶ λέγων· φείσασθέ μοι τοῦ παιδαρίου τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλώμ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἤκουσεν ἐντελλομένου τοῦ βασιλέως πᾶσι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑπὲρ Ἀβεσσαλώμ,
6So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
6καὶ ἐξῆλθε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν ἐξεναντίας Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ Ἐφραίμ.
7There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
7καὶ ἔπταισεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἐνώπιον τῶν παίδων Δαυίδ, καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ θραῦσις μεγάλη ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, εἴκοσι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν.
8The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
8καὶ ἐγένετο ἐκεῖ ὁ πόλεμος διεσπαρμένος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ δρυμὸς τοῦ καταφαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ὑπὲρ οὓς κατέφαγεν ἐν τῷ λαῷ ἡ μάχαιρα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.
9Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
9καὶ συνήντησεν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἐνώπιον τῶν παίδων Δαυίδ, καὶ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἦν ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡμιόνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ ἡμίονος ὑπὸ τὸ δάσος τῆς δρυὸς τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ περιεπλάκη ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ δρυΐ, καὶ ἐκρεμάσθη ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὁ ἡμίονος ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ παρῆλθε.
10When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
10καὶ εἶδεν ἀνὴρ εἷς καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τῷ Ἰωὰβ καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ ἑώρακα τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ κρεμάμενον ἐν τῇ δρυΐ.
11“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
11καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἀναγγέλλοντι αὐτῷ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἑώρακας· τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐπάταξας αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὴν γῆν; καὶ ἐγὼ ἂν ἐδεδώκειν σοι δέκα ἀργυρίου καὶ παραζώνην μίαν.
12The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
12εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ πρὸς Ἰωάβ· καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἵστημι ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖράς μου χιλίους σίκλους ἀργυρίου, οὐ μὴ ἐπιβάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἡμῶν ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεύς σοι καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐθθὶ λέγων· φυλάξατέ μοι τὸ παιδάριον τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ
13If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
13μὴ ποιῆσαι ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἄδικον· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λόγος οὐ λήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ σὺ στήσῃ ἐξεναντίας.
14But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
14καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάβ· τοῦτο ἐγὼ ἄρξομαι· οὐχ οὕτως μενῶ ἐνώπιόν σου. καὶ ἔλαβεν Ἰωὰβ τρία βέλη ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς δρυός.
15And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
15καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν δέκα παιδάρια αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη Ἰωὰβ καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτόν.
16Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
16καὶ ἐσάλπισεν Ἰωὰβ ἐν κερατίνῃ, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ λαὸς τοῦ μὴ διώκειν ὀπίσω Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι ἐφείδετο Ἰωὰβ τοῦ λαοῦ.
17They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
17καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἔρριψεν αὐτὸν εἰς χάσμα μέγα ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ εἰς τὸν βόθυνον τὸν μέγαν καὶ ἐστήλωσεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν σωρὸν λίθων μέγαν σφόδρα. καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ ἔφυγεν ἀνὴρ εἰς τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ.
18During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
18καὶ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἔτι ζῶν ἔλαβε καὶ ἔστησεν ἑαυτῷ τὴν στήλην, ἐν ᾗ ἐλήφθη, καὶ ἐστήλωσεν αὐτὴν λαβεῖν τὴν στήλην τὴν ἐν τῇ κοιλάδι τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι εἶπεν· οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ υἱὸς ἕνεκα τοῦ ἀναμνῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν στήλην Χεὶρ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.
19Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
19καὶ Ἀχιμάας υἱὸς Σαδὼκ εἶπε· δράμω δὴ καὶ εὐαγγελιῶ τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι ἔκρινε Κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ.
20But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
20καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰωάβ· οὐκ ἀνὴρ εὐαγγελίας σὺ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ εὐαγγελιῇ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἄλλῃ, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ οὐκ εὐαγγελιῇ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπέθανε.
21So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
21καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ τῷ Χουσί· βαδίσας ἀνάγγειλον τῷ βασιλεῖ ὅσα εἶδες· καὶ προσεκύνησε Χουσὶ τῷ Ἰωὰβ καὶ ἐξῆλθε.
22Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
22καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι Ἀχιμάας υἱὸς Σαδὼκ καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Ἰωάβ· καὶ ἔστω ὅτι δράμω καί γε ἐγὼ ὀπίσω τοῦ Χουσί. καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωάβ· ἱνατί σὺ τοῦτο τρέχεις, υἱέ μου; δεῦρο, οὐκ ἔστι σοι εὐαγγέλια εἰς ὠφέλειαν πορευομένῳ.
23“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
23καὶ εἶπε· τί γὰρ ἐὰν δράμω; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰωάβ· δράμε. καὶ ἔδραμεν Ἀχιμάας τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν τοῦ Κεχὰρ καὶ ὑπερέβη τὸν Χουσί.
24Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
24καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐκάθητο ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν δύο πυλῶν. καὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ σκοπὸς εἰς τὸ δῶμα τῆς πύλης πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος καὶ ἐπῇρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδε καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ τρέχων μόνος ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ
25So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
25καὶ ἀνεβόησεν ὁ σκοπὸς καὶ ἀπήγγειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· εἰ μόνος ἐστίν, εὐαγγελία ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπορεύετο πορευόμενος καὶ ἐγγίζων.
26the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
26καὶ εἶδεν ὁ σκοπὸς ἄνδρα ἕτερον τρέχοντα, καὶ ἐβόησεν ὁ σκοπὸς πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ καὶ εἶπε· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ἕτερος τρέχων μόνος. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· καί γε οὗτος εὐαγγελιζόμενος.
27The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
27καὶ εἶπεν ὁ σκοπός· ἐγὼ ὁρῷ τὸν δρόμον τοῦ πρώτου ὡς δρόμον Ἀχιμάας υἱοῦ Σαδώκ. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς οὗτος καί γε εἰς εὐαγγελίαν ἀγαθὴν ἐλεύσεται.
28Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
28καὶ ἐβόησεν Ἀχιμάας καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· εἰρήνη· καὶ προσεκύνησε τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὃς ἀπέκλεισε τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐπαραμένους τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ βασιλεῖ.
29The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
29καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Ἀβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν Ἀχιμάας· εἶδον τὸ πλῆθος τὸ μέγα τοῦ ἀποστεῖλαι τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰωὰβ καὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνων τί ἐκεῖ.
30“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
30καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· ἐπίστρεψον, στηλώθητι ὧδε· καὶ ἐπεστράφη καὶ ἔστη.
31Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
31καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ Χουσὶ παρεγένετο καὶ εἶπε τῷ βασιλεῖ· εὐαγγελισθήτω ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι ἔκρινέ σοι Κύριος σήμερον ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐπεγειρομένων ἐπὶ σέ.
32The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
32καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Χουσί· εἰ εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Ἀβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Χουσί· γένοιντο ὡς τὸ παιδάριον οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πάντες, ὅσοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπ' αὐτὸν εἰς κακά.
33The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
33καὶ ἐταράχθη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον τῆς πύλης καὶ ἔκλαυσε· καὶ οὕτως εἶπεν ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτόν· υἱέ μου Ἀβεσσαλώμ, υἱέ μου, υἱέ μου Ἀβεσσαλώμ, τίς δῴη τὸν θάνατόν μου ἀντὶ σοῦ; ἐγὼ ἀντὶ σοῦ, Ἀβεσσαλώμ, υἱέ μου υἱέ μου.
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