David Gets Ready for Battle
1 David divided his soldiers into groups of 100 and groups of 1,000. Then he chose officers to be in command of each group. 2 He sent out one third of his army under the command of Joab, another third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, and the rest under the command of Ittai from Gath. He told the soldiers, “I'm going into battle with you.”
3 But the soldiers said, “No, don't go into battle with us! It won't matter to our enemies if they make us all run away, or even if they kill half of us. But you are worth 10,000 of us. It would be better for you to stay in town and send help if we need it.”
4-6 David said, “All right, if you think I should.”
Then in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he said, “Joab! Abishai! Ittai! For my sake, be sure that Absalom comes back unharmed.”
David stood beside the town gate as his army marched past in groups of 100 and in groups of 1,000.
Joab Kills Absalom
The war with Israel took place in Ephraim Forest. 7-8 Battles were being fought all over the forest, and David's soldiers were winning. Twenty thousand soldiers were killed that day, and more of them died from the dangers of the forest than from the fighting itself.
9 Absalom was riding his mule under a huge tree when his head caught in the branches. The mule ran off and left Absalom hanging in midair. Some of David's soldiers happened by, 10 and one of them went and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in a tree!”
11 Joab said, “You saw Absalom? Why didn't you kill him? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a special belt.”
12 The man answered, “Even if you paid me 1,000 pieces of silver here and now, I still wouldn't touch the king's son. We all heard King David tell you and Abishai and Ittai not to harm Absalom. 13 He always finds out what's going on. I would have been risking my life to kill Absalom, because you would have let me take the blame.”
14 Joab said, “I'm not going to waste any more time on you!”
Absalom was still alive, so Joab took three spears and stuck them through Absalom's chest. 15 Ten of Joab's bodyguards came over and finished him off. 16 Then Joab blew a trumpet to signal his troops to stop chasing Israel's soldiers. 17 They threw Absalom's body into a deep pit in the forest and put a big pile of rocks over it.
Meanwhile, the people of Israel had all run back to their own homes.
18 When Absalom was alive, he had set up a stone monument for himself in King's Valley. He explained, “I don't have any sons to keep my name alive.” He called it Absalom's Monument, and that is the name it still has today.
Ahimaaz Wants To Tell David
19 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Joab, let me run and tell King David that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies.”
20 Joab answered, “You're not the one to tell the king that his son is dead. You can take him a message some other time, but not today.”
21 Someone from Ethiopia was standing there, and Joab told him, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” The man knelt down in front of Joab, then got up and started running.
22 Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again, “No matter what happens, I still want to go. And besides, the Ethiopian has already left.”
Joab said, “Why should you go? You won't get a reward for the news you have!”
23 “I'll run no matter what!” Ahimaaz insisted.
“All right then, run!” Joab said.
Ahimaaz took the road through the Jordan Valley and outran the Ethiopian.
24 Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates in the city wall. One of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower. He saw a man running toward the town 25 and shouted down to tell David.
David answered, “If he's alone, he must have some news.”
The runner was getting closer, 26 when the soldier saw someone else running. He shouted down to the gate, “Look! There's another runner!”
David said, “He must have some news too.”
27 The soldier on the roof shouted, “The first one runs just like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”
This time David said, “He's a good man. He must have some good news.”
28 Ahimaaz called out, “We won! We won!” Then he bowed low to David and said, “Your Majesty, praise the Lord your God! He has given you victory over your enemies.”
29 “Is my son Absalom all right?” David asked.
Ahimaaz said, “When Joab sent your personal servant and me, I saw a noisy crowd. But I don't know what it was all about.”
30 David told him, “Stand over there and wait.”
Ahimaaz went over and stood there. 31 The Ethiopian came and said, “Your Majesty, today I have good news! The Lord has rescued you from all your enemies!”
32 “Is my son Absalom all right?” David asked.
The Ethiopian replied, “I wish that all Your Majesty's enemies and everyone who tries to harm you would end up like him!”
David Cries for Absalom
33 David started trembling. Then he went up to the room above the city gate to cry. As he went, he kept saying, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I could have died instead of you! Absalom, my son, my son!”
Absalommi di ǁōb
1 Gao-aob Davidi ge ǁîb toroǃkhamaoga ǃnandi ǃnâ ǀgoraǂgā tsî ǂamkhoega danase ǁîdi ǂama ge mâi; ǀnîga ǀoadisigu danase tsî nauga kaidisigu danase. 2 Tsîb ge ǁîga ǃnona ǃâdi ǃnâ ge ǀgoraǂgā, ǀguisa Joab ǂgaeǂguis ǃnaka, ǀguisa Joab ǃgâsab Abisaib, Serujas ôab ǂgaeǂguis ǃnaka tsî ǀguisa Ittaib, Gats dib ǂgaeǂguis ǃnaka. Tsîb ge gao-aoba toroǂnubis ǃoa ge mî: “Tita ge aitsama sago ǀkha nî ǃgûǂoa.”
3 Xawe gu ge aoga ge mî: “Satsa tā sige ǀkha ǃgûǂoa. Sige ga ǁhâ, xawe gu ge ǁîga sige ǀkha ǁae tide; ǃkhare ǃâb sige dib ga ǁō, xawes tsîna gu ge ǁae tide, xawe sats ge disiǀoadisigu sige digu ase ī. ǃGâi ga ǃkhais ge ǃāsa xu ǀguits ga huiba sîba gesa.”
4 Ob ge gao-aoba “Tita ge sago a ǃgâiba khami nî dī” ti ge ǃeream. Tsîb ge gao-aoba hoaraga toroǂnubis ǃnandi kaidisise tsî ǀoadisise ra ǃgûǂoa hîa ǃās di dao-ams xōǀkhā sī ge mâ. 5 Tsîb ge gao-aoba Joab tsî Abisaib tsî Ittaib tsîga ge mîmā “Tita ǃaroma go ǂkham khoeb Absalomma ǂause sîsenū re.” Toroǂnubis hoas ge mâtib gao-aoba ǃkhōdana-aoga Absalommi ǂama ra mîmā ǃkhaisa ge ǁnâu.
6 Tsîs ge ǂnubisa Israeli ǃoagu nî ǃkhamse ǃgarob ai ge ǂoa tsî gu ge Efraimmi haiǀgoms ǃnâ ge ǃkhamgu. 7 Israelǁîgu ge Davidi aogu xa ge danhe tsîs ge kaise kai ǂnubisa ge ǃgamhe; ǀgamdisiǀoadisi aogu ge ǁnātsē ge ǁō. 8 Torob ge ǃaub hoab ǃnâ ge khoraǂuisen tsîn ge ǀgom haina ǁnātsē, ǃkhammi ǃnâ ge ǁōgu ǃgâ-ai ǃnāsa khoegu ǁōba ge ǃaroma.
9 ǃÂubasen tama hâseb ge Absalomma, muli-i aib ǃgapi hâ hîa Davidi khoegu ǀkha ge ǀhao. Mulib ge kai aikehais ǁnâugu ǃnaka a ǃkharu, os ge Absalommi danasa aikehais di ǃnau ǁnâugu ǃnâ ge ǁhaumâ. Mulib ge ge ǃkhoeǃkharu tsîb ge Absalomma ǁnāpa mâ gere ǀhara. 10 Ob ge ǀgui khoeba mû bib geo, Joaba sī ge mîba: “Absalomma ta ge aikehais ǃnâb mâ ra ǀharase go mû.”
11 Ob ge Joaba ǁnāsa go ǂanǂan bi khoeb ǃoa ge mî: “Mû bits go, o tare-i ǃaromats ǃkhais ai ǃgam bi tama go i? O ta ge tita disi ǀhaiǀuri maridi tsî ǀō-aisa ǃgaesenni tsîna ga mā tsi hâ.”
12 Xaweb ge ǁnā khoeba Joaba ge ǃeream: “ǀOadisi ǀhaiǀuri maride ta ga ti ǃommi ǃnâ māhe, xawes tsîna ta ga ti ǃomma gao-aob ôab ǃoagu ūkhâi tama i hâ. Sige hoage kom ge ǁnâuo, gao-aob ge sats tsî Abisaib tsî Ittaib tsîgo ‘Tita ǃaroma ǂkham khoeb Absalomma sâu re’ ti mîmāsa.” 13 ǁÎb ge ǃaruǀî ge mî: “Tsî tsūse ta ga dī hâ, xaweb ge gao-aoba ga ǂan hâ, xū-i xare-i ǁîba ǂganǃgâsaba tama xui-ao. Tsî sats ge ga hui te tama hâ.”
14 Ob ge Joaba “Sats ǀkha ta nēti mâ ǁaeǁore tide” ti mî tsî ǃnona ǁhâigôaga ū tsî ǁîga noxopab ûitsamase aikehais ǃnâ mâ ra ǀhara hîa Absalommi ǂgaob ǃnâ ge ǃkhāǂgā. 15 Tsî gu ge disi khoegu Joab ǁâtanina ra taniga Absalomma xāǂgā tsî ge ǂnauǃan.
16 Ob ge Joaba xâiǁnâsa ge xâi tsîs ge ǁîb toroǂnubisa Israelǁîga ge ǃgôaǃgonǀû. ǁNātib ge Joaba toroǂnubisa ge oaǀkhī kai. 17 Tsî gu ge Absalommi sorosa ū tsî haiǀgoms tawa, ǃgam āb ǃnâ aoǂgā tsî ǁîb ai kai ǁkhobos ǀuiga ge ǀhaoǀhaoǂnûi. Israelǁîn hoan ge omdi ân ǁga ge ǃkhoeni.
18 Absalommi ge noxopab a ûitsama hîa ǂâiǂâisensaosa gao-aogu ǃgoaǃnāb ǃnâ ge dībasen hâ i, ǁîb ǀonsa nî aiǃgû kai ǀgôabab ge ūhâ tama hâ i xui-ao. ǁNā-amagab ge ǁnā saosa ǁîb ǀons ǃoa ge ǀonǂgai tsîs ge nētsēs kōse “Absalommi ǂÂiǂâisensaos” ti ra ǀonǂgaihe.
Davidi ge Absalommi ǁōba ra ǂhôahe
19 Ob ge Sadoki ôab Ahimaasa ge mî: “A ta ǃkhoe tsî gao-aoba nē ǃgâi ǂhôa-e sī mîba, ǃKhūb go khākhoeb âba xu ǃnora kai bi ǃkhaisa.”
20 Xaweb ge Joaba ǁîb ǃoa ge mî: “Sa tidets ge nētsē nē ǂhôa-e nî ǃgû-ūtsa. ǀKhara tsēts ge ǁnāsa a dī ǁkhā, xawe nētsēs ose, gao-aob ôab go ǁō amaga.” 21 Tsîb ge Kusǁîba ge mîmā: “ǃGû, îts gao-aoba mûts gona sī mîba.” Ob ge ǁîba Joab aiǃâ ǃhon tsî ǁnāpa xu ge ǃkhoe.
22 Ob ge Sadoki ôab Ahimaasa ǁkhāba Joab ǃoa ge mî: “Tare-i ǀgui-i ga ī xawe a ta Kusǁîba ǃkhoesao.”
Ob ge Joaba “Tare-i ǃaromats ra ǃkhoe ǂgao, ti ôa? Sats kom matare-i xare-e ǁnās ǃaroma ǃkhōǃoa tideo” ti ge ǃeream.
23 “Tare-i ǀgui-i ga ī xawe ta ge nî ǃkhoe” tib ge ǁîba ge mî.
Ob ge Joaba “O ǁnâi ǃkhoe re” ti ge ǃeream bi. Ob ge Ahimaasa Jordanǀkharib ǂgāsa-u ǃkhoe tsî Kusǁîba ge ǃkharuǀkhā.
24 ǃĀs di dao-ams ǃnâb Davida ǂnôa hîab ge ǃkhē-aoba ǂnubiǂgoab ai ǂoa tsî dao-ams ǀgapise sī ge mâ; tsî kōkhâib ge, ob ge ǀguri ǃkhoeǃgoaxa khoeba ge mû. 25 Ob ge ǃkhē-aoba gao-aob ǃoa ǂgai tsî ǁnā ǃkhaisa ge mîba bi. Ob ge gao-aoba “ǀGurib ga hâ, ob ge ǂhôa-e ūhâ” ti ge mî. Tsî ǃkhoe-aob ge ǃaruǀîǀgui ge ǃkhoeǀgū.
26 ǃKhē-aob ge noxopa ǀnî khoeb hîa ǃkhoeǃgoaxaba mû tsî ǃās di dao-ams ǃûi-aob ǃoa ǂgai tsî “Kō, noxopab ge ǀnî khoeba ǀguri ǃkhoeǃgoaxa” ti ge mî.
Ob ge gao-aoba “ǁÎb tsîn ge ǂhôa-e ra hā-ū” ti ge ǃeream.
27 ǃAruǀîb ge ǃkhē-aoba ge mî: “ǂGurob ge Sadoki ôab Ahimaasi khami ra ǃkhoe.”
Ob ge gao-aoba ge mî: “ǁNāb ge ǃgâi khoeba, ǁîb ge ǃgâi ǂhôa-e ra hā-ū.”
28 Ahimaasi ge “ǂKhîb” ti ǂgaiǂui tsî gao-aob aiǃâ ǃhūb kōse ǃgamǃgâ tsî ge mî: “Ab koahe re ǃKhūb sa Elob, ǁnā khoegu gao-aots ǃoagu go khâikhâisenga go hîkākāba.”
29 “ǂKham khoeb Absalomma ǃgâiseb hâ?” tib ge gao-aoba ge dî.
Ob ge Ahimaasa ge ǃeream: “Sa ǂamkhoeb Joab go sî te ǁaeb ai ta ge kai ǀgarusasiba go mû, xawe ta ge a ǀū tare-i go ī ǃkhaisa.”
30 Gao-aob ge “Nauǀkhāb ai sī mâ” ti a mîmā bi, ob ge sī ge mâ.
31 Tsîb ge Kusǁîba hā tsî gao-aob ǃoa ge mî: “Gao-aotse, ǃgâi ǂhôa-e ta ge ūba tsi hâ. ǃKhūb ge nētsē, ǁnāgu sa ǃoagu ra khâikhâisenga xu go ǃnora kai tsi.”
32 Tsî gao-aob ge “ǂKham khoeb Absalomma ǃgâiseb hâ?” ti ge dî bi.
Ob ge Kusǁîba ge ǃeream: “Gao-aots di khākhoen tsî ǁnān satsa ra mâǃoan tsîna an ǁnā ǂkham khoeb khami hābahe.”
33 Ob ge gao-aoba kaise tsūse ge tsâ tsîb ge ǃās di dao-ams ǀgapise hâ ǃnā-oms ǃoa ǂoa tsî sī ge ā. Tsîb ge ǃgûgaruse “Ti ôa Absalomtse, ti ôatse, ti ôa Absalomtse. Tita ge ǁnâi sa ǃās ǃnâ ga ǁō hâ, ti ôa Absalomtse, ti ôatse, ti ôatse” ti gere mî.
