2 Samuel 18
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Derrota y muerte de Absalón
18 Entonces David contó[a] el pueblo que estaba con él, y puso sobre ellos capitanes de miles y capitanes de cientos(A). 2 Y envió David al pueblo: una tercera parte bajo el mando[b](B) de Joab, otra tercera parte bajo el mando[c] de Abisai, hijo de Sarvia, hermano de Joab, y otra tercera parte bajo el mando[d] de Itai el geteo(C). Y el rey dijo al pueblo: «Ciertamente yo también saldré con ustedes». 3 Pero el pueblo dijo: «No debe salir(D); porque si tenemos que huir, no harán caso de nosotros. Aunque muera la mitad de nosotros, no harán caso de nosotros. Pero usted vale por 10,000 de[e] nosotros; ahora pues, será mejor que usted esté listo para ayudarnos desde la ciudad». 4 «Yo haré lo que les parezca mejor[f]», les dijo el rey. Y el rey se puso junto a la puerta(E), y todo el pueblo salió por centenares y por millares. 5 Y el rey David mandó a Joab, a Abisai y a Itai y dijo: «Por amor a mí traten bien al joven Absalón». Y todo el pueblo oyó cuando el rey dio orden a todos los capitanes acerca de Absalón(F).
6 El pueblo salió al campo al encuentro de Israel, y se entabló la batalla en el bosque de Efraín(G). 7 Allí fue derrotado[g] el pueblo de Israel delante de los siervos de David, y la matanza aquel día allí fue grande: 20,000 hombres. 8 La[h] batalla se extendió por toda aquella región[i], y el bosque devoró más gente aquel día que la que devoró la espada.
9 Absalón se encontró con los siervos de David. Absalón iba montado en su mulo, y pasó el mulo debajo del espeso ramaje de una gran encina, y se le trabó la cabeza(H) a Absalón en la encina, y quedó colgado[j] entre el cielo y la tierra, mientras que el mulo que estaba debajo de él siguió de largo. 10 Cuando uno de los hombres vio esto, avisó a Joab: «Yo vi a Absalón colgado de una encina». 11 Joab dijo al hombre que le había avisado: «Así que tú lo viste, ¿por qué no lo heriste allí derribándolo a tierra? Yo te hubiera dado diez monedas de plata y un cinturón». 12 Respondió el hombre a Joab: «Aunque yo recibiera 1,000 monedas de plata en la mano[k], no extendería la mano contra el hijo del rey. Porque ante nuestros oídos el rey te ordenó a ti, a Abisai y a Itai: “Protéjanme[l] al joven Absalón(I)”. 13 De otro modo, si yo hubiera hecho traición contra su vida (y no hay nada oculto al rey(J)), tú mismo te hubieras mostrado indiferente[m]». 14 Respondió Joab: «No malgastaré mi tiempo[n] aquí contigo». Y tomando tres dardos en la mano[o], los clavó en el corazón de Absalón(K) mientras todavía estaba vivo en medio[p] de la encina. 15 Y diez jóvenes escuderos de Joab rodearon e hirieron a Absalón y lo remataron.
16 Entonces Joab tocó la trompeta, y el pueblo regresó de perseguir a Israel, porque Joab detuvo al pueblo(L). 17 Y tomaron a Absalón, lo echaron en una fosa profunda[q] en el bosque y levantaron sobre él un gran montón de piedras(M). Y todo Israel huyó, cada uno a su tienda(N). 18 En vida, Absalón(O) había tomado y erigido para sí una columna que está en el valle del Rey(P), pues se había dicho: «No tengo hijo para perpetuar[r] mi nombre(Q)». Y llamó la columna por su propio nombre, y hasta hoy día se llama Monumento de Absalón.
19 Y Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc, dijo: «Te ruego que me dejes correr y llevar las noticias al rey(R) de que el Señor lo ha liberado[s] de la mano de sus enemigos(S)». 20 Pero Joab le dijo: «Tú no eres el hombre para llevar hoy las noticias; las llevarás otro día. No llevarás noticias hoy, porque el hijo del rey ha muerto». 21 Entonces Joab dijo al cusita[t]: «Ve, anuncia al rey lo que has visto». Y el cusita se inclinó ante Joab, y corrió. 22 Y Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc, volvió a decir a Joab: «Pase lo que pase(T), te ruego que me dejes correr tras el cusita». «¿Por qué correrás, hijo mío, ya que no tendrás recompensa por ir?», le dijo Joab. 23 Pero él dijo: «Pase lo que pase, correré». Entonces le dijo: «Corre». Y Ahimaas corrió por el camino de la llanura, y pasó al cusita.
24 David estaba sentado entre las dos puertas(U); y el atalaya subió al terrado de la puerta en el muro, y alzando los ojos miró, y vio a un hombre que corría solo(V). 25 Y el atalaya llamó y avisó al rey. Y el rey dijo: «Si viene solo hay buenas noticias en su boca». Mientras se acercaba más y más, 26 el atalaya vio a otro hombre corriendo. Entonces el atalaya dio voces al portero, y dijo: «Veo a otro hombre corriendo solo». «Este también trae buenas noticias», dijo el rey. 27 Y el atalaya dijo: «Creo[u] que el correr del primero es como el correr de Ahimaas, hijo de Sadoc(W)». Y el rey dijo: «Este es un buen hombre y viene con buenas noticias(X)».
28 Y Ahimaas dio voces, y dijo al rey: «Todo está bien[v]». Se postró rostro en tierra delante del rey(Y), y dijo: «Bendito es el Señor su Dios, que ha entregado a los hombres que levantaron sus manos(Z) contra mi señor el rey». 29 «¿Le va bien al joven(AA) Absalón?», preguntó el rey. Y Ahimaas respondió: «Cuando Joab envió al siervo del rey y a su siervo, vi un gran tumulto, pero no supe qué era(AB)». 30 «Ponte a un lado y quédate aquí», le dijo el rey. Y él se puso a un lado, y se quedó allí.
31 Y cuando llegó el cusita, dijo: «Reciba mi señor el rey buenas noticias, porque el Señor lo ha librado[w] hoy de la mano de todos aquellos que se levantaron contra usted(AC)». 32 Dijo el rey al cusita: «¿Le va bien al joven Absalón(AD)?». Y el cusita respondió: «Sean como ese joven los enemigos de mi señor el rey, y todos los que se levantan contra usted para mal(AE)». 33 [x]El rey se conmovió profundamente, y subió al aposento que había encima de la puerta y lloró. Y decía así mientras caminaba: «¡Hijo mío Absalón; hijo mío, hijo mío Absalón(AF)! ¡Quién me diera haber muerto yo en tu lugar! ¡Absalón, hijo mío, hijo mío(AG)!».
Footnotes
- 18:1 O alistó.
- 18:2 Lit. por mano.
- 18:2 Lit. por mano.
- 18:2 Lit. por mano.
- 18:3 Así en dos mss. y algunas versiones antiguas; en el T.M., porque ahora hay diez mil como.
- 18:4 Lit. lo que sea bueno ante sus ojos.
- 18:7 Lit. herido.
- 18:8 Lit. Y fue allí que la.
- 18:8 Lit. tierra.
- 18:9 Lit. colocado.
- 18:12 Lit. palma.
- 18:12 Lit. Así en dos mss. y algunas versiones antiguas; en el T.M., Protejan, quien sea,
- 18:13 O en contra.
- 18:14 Lit. No me quedaré.
- 18:14 Lit. palma.
- 18:14 Lit. el corazón.
- 18:17 Lit. la gran fosa.
- 18:18 Lit. por amor al recuerdo de.
- 18:19 Lit. vindicado.
- 18:21 O etíope.
- 18:27 Lit. Veo.
- 18:28 Lit. Paz.
- 18:31 Lit. vindicado.
- 18:33 En el texto heb. cap. 19:1.
2 Samuel 18
New King James Version
Absalom’s Defeat and Death
18 And David [a]numbered the people who were with him, and (A)set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, (B)one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of (C)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”
3 (D)But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”
4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” (E)And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the (F)woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and (G)his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”
11 So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”
12 But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. (H)For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, [b]‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. 15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.
16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and (I)laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel (J)fled, everyone to his tent.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a [c]pillar for himself, which is in (K)the King’s Valley. For he said, (L)“I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
David Hears of Absalom’s Death
19 Then (M)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the Lord has [d]avenged him of his enemies.”
20 And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.
22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But [e]whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.”
So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”
23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.”
So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the (N)two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. 25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!”
And the king said, “He also brings news.”
27 So the watchman said, [f]“I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”
And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with (O)good news.”
28 So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, [g]“All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, (P)“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!”
29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”
30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”
32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”
David’s Mourning for Absalom
33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: (Q)“O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, (R)my son!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 18:1 Lit. attended to
- 2 Samuel 18:12 Vss. ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me!’
- 2 Samuel 18:18 monument
- 2 Samuel 18:19 vindicated
- 2 Samuel 18:22 Lit. be what may
- 2 Samuel 18:27 Lit. I see the running
- 2 Samuel 18:28 Peace be to you
2 Samuel 18
English Standard Version
Absalom Killed
18 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the command of (A)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 (B)But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” (C)And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the (D)forest of Ephraim. 7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.
9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak,[a] (E)and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for (F)in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life[b] (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him (G)a very great heap of stones. And all Israel (H)fled every one to his own home. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself (I)the pillar that is in (J)the King's Valley, for he said, (K)“I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument[c] to this day.
David Hears of Absalom's Death
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, (L)“Let me run and carry news to the king that (M)the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.” 20 And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king's son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?” 23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of (N)the plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Now David (O)was sitting between the two gates, and (P)the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” 27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is (Q)like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, (R)“He is a good man and comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, (S)“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29 And the king said, (T)“Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king's servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.” 30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
David's Grief
31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For (U)the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, (V)“Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, (W)“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” 33 [d] And the king was deeply moved and went up (X)to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, (Y)“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 18:9 Or terebinth; also verses 10, 14
- 2 Samuel 18:13 Or at the risk of my life
- 2 Samuel 18:18 Or Absalom's hand
- 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19:1 in Hebrew
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
