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!”
Absalom ta tewa ndele ta dipawa
1 Ndele David okwa ongela omatanga ovakwaita ava va li puye, ndele e va hoololela ovakulunhu veyovi novakulunhu vefele. 2 Ndele David okwa tuma omatanga ovakwaita: Oshitukulwa shimwe shomoitukulwa itatu, shomepangelo laJoab, noshitukulwa oshitivali shomoitukulwa itatu, sha li mepangelo laAbisai yaSeruja, omumwaina waJoab, noshitukulwa oshititatu shomoitukulwa itatu sha li mepangelo laIttai, Omugat. Nohamba ya li ya lombwela ovakwaita, tai ti: “Naame yo nda hala shili okuya pamwe nanye.” 3 Ndelenee ovakwaita va tya: “Ino ya kolwoodi, osheshi fye ngeenge hatu i onhapo, venya itave tu yavala, heeno, nande etata lomovakwaita vetu va fye, itave tu yavala, ndelenee ove u li ngaashi omayovi omulongo vomufye. Shi dule ove u uye oku tu kwafa to di moshilando.” 4 Opo nee ohamba tai ti kuvo: “Osho she mu wapalela ame ohandi ke shi ninga.” Nohamba ya ya noya ka kala ofika poshivelo, fimbo omatanga ovakwaita aveshe va ya nomayovi nomafele. 5 Ndelenee ohamba ya lombwela Joab naAbisai naIttai ndele tai ti: “Omunyasha Absalom mu ningeni nawa.” Novakwaita aveshe va uda ohamba eshi tai lombwele ovakulunhu aveshe omolwaAbsalom.
6 Opo nee ovakwaita va fikama va ka shakeneke Ovaisraeli moixwa. Ve lidengela momuulu waEfraim. 7 Novakwaita vaIsrael va tewa kovapiya vaDavid, netewatewo lavo la li linene efiku tuu olo, ovalumenhu omayovi omilongo mbali. 8 Ndelenee olwoodi la tandavela medu linya alishe, nomuulu wa lya ovanhu vahapu ve dule ovo va dipawa keongamukonda.
9 Novapiya vaDavid va shakena naAbsalom fimbo ye a londa kemula. Ndele fimbo emula tali i momwandi u noitai ya fita, opo ye a kala a endjelela pokati keulu nedu, fimbo emula la faduka po. 10 Omulumenhu umwe eshi e shi mona, okwa lombwela Joab ndele ta ti: “Tala, ame nda mona Absalom a endjelela momwandi.” 11 Ndele Joab ta ti komulumenhu ou e mu etela ondaka: “Ove ngeenge we shi mona, omolwashike ino mu dipaela opo? Ngeno nde ku pa eesekeli omulongo doshisiliveli nekwamo.” 12 Ndelenee omulumenhu ou e mu etela ondaka ta ti kuJoab: “Nande ndi pewe meke lange eesekeli eyovi limwe doshisiliveli, ame itandi nanene eke lange komona wohamba. Osheshi ohamba ye ku lombwela noya lombwela yo Abisai naIttai momatwi etu ndele tai ti: ‘Kaleni noshisho shomunyasha Absalom.’ 13 Ile ondi kengelele ngahelipi omwenyo wange? Osheshi kape noshinima sha holekwa ohamba. Naave yo to likufa mo mwaame.” 14 Opo nee Joab ta ti: “Ame inandi hala okumana po efimbo naave!” Ndele ye okwa kufa omaonga atatu meke laye a twa momutima waAbsalom fimbo ye kwa li e nomwenyo natango momwandi. 15 Novamati omulongo ovahumbati voiti yaJoab ve uya po ndele va dindolola Absalom. 16 Opo nee Joab a shika enghuma loluvinga lodi yomhedi, novakwaita aveshe va aluka ndele inava shikula vali Israel, osheshi Joab a kangheka ovakwaita. 17 Opo nee va kufa Absalom ndele ve mu ekela mekololo linene lomomuulu, ndele va ndubila onduba inene yomamanya kombada yaye, fimbo Ovaisraeli aveshe, keshe umwe, a ya onhapo ketwali laye.
18 Ndelenee fimbo Absalom kwa li e nomwenyo, okwa kufa emanya nokwe lilidikila edimbulukifomanya mOlufilu lEemhaba neendjovo edi: “Ame ndihe nomona omumati ou a diinina edina lange li dimbulukiwe. Ndele okwa luka edimbulukifomanya padina laye, ndele otali ifanwa fiyo onena eli edimbulukifodidiliko laAbsalom.
David ta lili Absalom
19 Opo nee Ahimas yaSadok ta ti: “Efe nge, ndi tondoke ndi twale kohamba ondaka ei iwa, nokutya Omwene e mu alulila ouyuki moipafi yovatondadi vaye.” 20 Ndelenee Joab ta ti kuye: “Nena eli ove ku fi omutwali wondaka, ndelenee efiku limwe to dulu okutwala ondaka, ino twala nena eli ondaka, osheshi omona wohamba a fya.” 21 Opo nee Joab ta ti kOmuetiopia: “Inda u ka lombwele ohamba eshi we shi mona!” NOmuetiopia okwe linyongamena koshipala shaJoab ndele ta faduka po. 22 Ndelenee Ahimas yaSadok okwa lombwela vali Joab ndele ta ti: “Keshe tuu osho tashi hange nge kashi na sha, efe nge naame ndi shikule Omuetiopia.” Ndele Joab ta pula: “Omolwashike wa hala okulotoka paife, omumwange? Ove ito ka mona ko ondjabi yomutumwa.” 23 Ye ta ti: “Nashi uye keshe eshi, ame ohandi ka faduka po.” Ndele ye okwe mu nyamukula: “Faduka po hano!” Ndele Ahimas okwa lotoka nondjila yedu la lalakana nokwa teta ko Omuetiopia. 24 Ndele David fimbo e li omutumba pokati koivelo ivali, omunangeli okwa londa kohotekuma kombada yoshivelo. Ye eshi a yelula omesho aye, okwa mona omulumenhu umwe aeke ta tondoka. 25 Opo nee omunangeli a ingida nokwe shi hepaululila ohamba. Nohamba tai ti: “Ye ngeenge e li aeke, e nondaka iwa mokanya kaye.” Ndele fimbo winya ta ende nokweehena ko. 26 Omunangeli ta mono omulumenhu umwe vali ta tondoka. Nomunangeli okwa ifana omunangeli woposhivelo ndele ta ti: “Tala, oku na vali omulumenhu umwe ta tondoka oye aeke.” Opo nee ohamba tai ti: “Naye yo ta eta ondaka iwa.” 27 Omunangeli ta ti vali: “Ame ondi wete okulotoka kwaau wotete ku li ngaashi okulotoka kwaAhimas yaSadok.” Opo nee ohamba tai ti: “Ye omulumenhu muwa, ye ota eta ondaka iwa.” 28 Ndele Ahimas okwa ingida ndele ta ti kohamba: “Ombili!” Ndele e linyongamena moipafi yohamba nokwa twa oshipala shaye poshi ndele ta ti: “Omwene Kalunga koye na hambelelwe, ou a yandja momake oye ovalumenhu ovo va yelulila omwene wange ohamba omake avo.” 29 Opo nee ohamba tai ti: “Omumati Absalom oku li nawa?” Ndele Ahimas ta nyamukula: “Ame nda mona ongudu inene yovanhu ya dongakana, omupiya wohamba Joab eshi a tuma nge, omupiya woye. Ndelenee nghi shi shii, osho oshike.” 30 Opo nee ohamba tai ti: “Kanduka po, kala ofika opo.” Ye a kanduka po, a kala ko ofika. 31 Omuetiopia e uya. NOmuetiopia ta ti: “Omwene wange ohamba nai tambule ondaka yehafo nokutya, Omwene e ku pa nena eli ouyuki moipafi yaaveshe ovo ve ku twila ondubo.” 32 Nohamba ya pula Omuetiopia: “Omumati Absalom oku li tuu nawa?” NOmuetiopia ta ti: “Ovatondadi vomwene wange naaveshe ovo tava fikama oku ku twila ondubo nava ningilwe ngaashi omumati winya.” 33 Opo nee ohamba ya nyika oluhodi unene nokukakama ndele ya londa, ya ya molupale li li kombada yoshivelo ndele tai lili, mokuya kwayo tai ti: “Omumwange Absalom, omumwange, omumwange Absalom! Woo, ngeno ame mwene nda fya ponhele yoye! Absalom, omumwange, omumwange.”
