3 The psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom, his son. Lord, why be they multiplied that trouble me? many men rise against me. (The song of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. Lord, why be there so many who trouble me? why be there so many who rise up against me?)

² Many men say of my soul, None health there is to him in his God. (Many say of me, There is no help for him from his God.)

³ But thou, Lord, art mine up-taker; my glory, and enhancing mine head. (But thou, Lord, art my defender; my glory, and the one who lifteth up my head.)

⁴ With my voice I cried to the Lord; and he heard me from his holy hill. (I cried to the Lord with my voice; and he answered me from his holy hill.)

⁵ I slept, and rested, and I rose up; for the Lord received me (for the Lord had protected me).

⁶ I shall not dread thousands of people (en)compassing me; (I shall not fear even thousands of people surrounding me;)

⁷ Lord, arise thou; my God, make me safe. For thou hast smitten all men being adversaries to me without cause; thou hast all-broken the teeth of sinners. (Lord, rise thou up; my God, save me. Thou hast struck down all who be my adversaries; thou hast broken all the teeth of the sinners.)

⁸ Health is of the Lord; and thy blessing is on thy people. (Victory is from the Lord/Salvation, or deliverance, is from the Lord; and thy blessing is upon thy people.)

15 Therefore after these things, Absalom made a chariot to him, and (had) knights and fifty men, that should go before him. (And so after these things, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself, and had fifty men who went before him.)

² And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the entering of the gate in the way; and Absalom called to him each man, that had a cause, [(or) a need,] that he should come to the doom of the king, and Absalom said, Of what city art thou? Which answered, and said, Of one lineage of Israel I am, thy servant. (And Absalom would rise up early, and stand beside the entrance to the city gate on the road; and then he would call over each man who had a case, or a dispute, that should have gone before the king for judgement, and Absalom would say, Of what city art thou? And each one would answer, and say, I, thy servant, am from such and such tribe of Israel.)

³ And Absalom answered to him, Thy words seem to me good and just, but none is ordained of the king to hear thee. (And then Absalom would say to him, Thy words seem good and just to me, but no one is ordained by the king to hear thee.)

⁴ And Absalom said, Who shall ordain me judge on the land, that all men that have (a) cause come to me, and I deem justly? (And Absalom would add, Who shall ordain me judge over the land, so that all who have a case, or a dispute, can come before me, and I shall give them justice?)

⁵ But when a man came to Absalom to greet him, he held forth his hand, and took, and kissed that man; (And whenever a man came to Absalom to greet him, he would stretch out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him;)

⁶ and Absalom did this to all Israel, that came to doom to be heard of the king (and Absalom did this for all of Israel who came to the king for a judgement); and (so) Absalom stole the hearts of [the] men of Israel.

⁷ But after four years, Absalom said to king David, I shall go, and shall yield my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Hebron; (And after four years, Absalom said to King David, I shall now go to Hebron, and yield my vows, which I vowed to the Lord;)

⁸ for thy servant vowing vowed, when he was in Geshur of Syria, and said, If the Lord bringeth again me into Jerusalem, I shall make sacrifice to the Lord. (for thy servant made a vow, when he was in Geshur of Syria, and said, If the Lord bringeth me back again to Jerusalem, I shall go and make sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron.)

⁹ And the king said to him, Go thou in peace. And Absalom rose up, and went into Hebron (And so Absalom rose up, and went to Hebron).

¹⁰ Forsooth Absalom sent spyers into all the lineage[s] of Israel, and said, Anon as ye hear the sound of [the] clarion, say ye, Absalom shall reign in Hebron. (But Absalom also sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel, who said, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye, Absalom is king in Hebron.)

¹¹ And two hundred men called (out) of Jerusalem went forth with Absalom, and went with simple heart, and utterly they knew not the cause. (And Absalom invited two hundred men to go out of Jerusalem with him, and they went innocently, that is, in good faith, and utterly knew nothing about his true intentions.)

¹² Also Absalom called (for) Ahithophel of Giloh, the counsellor of David, from his city Giloh. And when he offered sacrifices, a strong swearing together was made, and the people running together was increased with Absalom. (And Absalom summoned Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city of Giloh. And so while he offered his sacrifices, the conspiracy strengthened, and the number of people joining Absalom increased.)

¹³ Therefore a messenger came to David, and said, With all [the] heart all Israel followeth Absalom,

¹⁴ And David said to his servants that were with him in Jerusalem, Rise ye up, and flee we; for none escaping shall be to us from the face of Absalom; therefore haste ye to go out, lest he come, and occupy us, and fulfill upon us his falling, and smite the city with sharpness of [the] sword. (And David said to his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise ye up, and flee we; for there shall be no escape for us from Absalom; and so haste ye to go out, lest he come, and occupy us, and fulfill his falling on us, that is, that he destroy us, and strike down the people of the city with the sharpness of his sword.)

¹⁵ And the servants of the king said to him, We thy servants shall perform gladly all things (We thy servants shall gladly do all things), whatever our lord the king shall command.

¹⁶ Then the king went out, and all his house, upon their feet; and the king left ten women concubines, that is, secondary wives, to keep the house. (Then the king departed, and all his household followed him; but the king left ten of his concubines, or his secondary wives, to look after the palace.)

¹⁷ And (so) the king went out, and all Israel, upon their feet, and the king stood far from the house (and they stopped far away from the palace).

¹⁸ And all his servants went beside him, and the legions of Cherethites and of Pelethites, and all the strong fighting men of Gath, six hundred men, that followed him from Gath, went on foot before the king.

¹⁹ And the king said to Ittai of Gath, Why comest thou with us? Turn thou again, and dwell with the (new) king, for thou art a pilgrim, and wentest out from thy place.

²⁰ Thou camest yesterday, and today thou art compelled to go out with us. Soothly I shall go, whither I shall go; (but thou) turn again, and lead again thy brethren with thee, and the Lord do mercy and truth with thee, for thou hast showed to me grace and faith. (Thou camest but yesterday, and so today, art thou compelled to go out with us? Nay! Truly I shall go, wherever I shall go; but thou return, and take thy kinsmen with thee, and may the Lord show kindness and truth to thee, for thou hast shown favour and faith to me.)

²¹ And Ittai answered to the king, and said, (As) The Lord liveth, and (as) my lord the king liveth, for in whatever place thou shalt be, my lord the king, either in death either in life, there thy servant shall be.

²² And David said to Ittai, Come thou, and pass forth. And Ittai of Gath passed forth, and the king, and all men that were with him, and the tother multitude. (And David said to Ittai, Then come thou, and let us go. And so Ittai the Gittite, and the king, and the men who were with him, and all the other people, went forth.)

²³ And all men wept with great voice, and all the people passed forth; and the king went over the strand of Kidron, and all the people went against the way of the olive tree(s), that beholdeth to the desert. (And all the people wept loudly, as they all went forth; and the king led the people over the Kidron Stream/over the Kidron Gorge, and they went toward the way of the olive trees which looketh toward the wilderness.)

²⁴ Forsooth and Zadok the priest came, and all the deacons with him, and they bare the ark of [the] bond of peace of God, and they setted down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, till all the people was passed forth that went out of the city. (And Zadok the priest came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set down the Ark of God beside Abiathar, until all the people who went out of the city had passed by.)

²⁵ And the king said to Zadok, Bear again the ark of God into the city; if I shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord, he shall lead me again, and he shall show to me that ark, and his tabernacle. (And the king said to Zadok, Take the Ark of God back to the city; if I shall find favour before the Lord, he shall bring me back here, and he shall let me see that Ark, and its resting place again.)

²⁶ Soothly if the Lord saith, Thou pleasest not me; I am ready, do he that, that is good before himself. (But if the Lord saith, Thou pleasest me not; I am ready; do he what he desireth with me.)

²⁷ And the king said to Zadok, the priest, O! thou seer, that is, (a) prophet, turn again into the city, with peace; and Ahimaaz, thy son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you. (And the king said to Zadok, the priest, O! thou prophet, return to the city in peace; and thy son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, these two young men, go they with you.)

²⁸ Lo! I shall be hid in [the] field places of the desert, till word come from you, and show to me. (Lo! I shall hide at the Fords, or the river crossings, of the Wilderness, until word come from thee to me.)

²⁹ Therefore Zadok and Abiathar bare again the ark of God into Jerusalem, and they dwelled there (and they stayed there).

³⁰ Forsooth David went up upon the hill of olive trees, going up and weeping, with his head covered, and with bare feet passing forth; but also all the people that was with him, went up with their head(s) covered, and (they also) wept. (And David went up on the Mount of Olives, walking and weeping, with his head covered, and going forth with bare feet; and all the people who were with him also went up weeping, and with their heads covered.)

³¹ And it was told to David, that Ahithophel was in the swearing together with Absalom; and David said, Lord, I beseech, make thou fond the counsel of Ahithophel. (And it was told to David that Ahithophel was in the conspiracy with Absalom; and David said, Lord, I beseech thee, turn thou Ahithophel’s advice into foolishness.)

³² And when David went up into [the] highness of the hill, in which he should worship the Lord, lo! Hushai of Archi, with his cloth rent, and with his head full of earth, came to him. (And when David reached the top of the hill, where he would worship the Lord, lo! Hushai the Archite came to him, with his cloak torn, and with earth, or with dirt, on his head.)

³³ And David said to him, If thou comest with me, thou shalt be to me (a) charge (thou shalt be a burden to me);

³⁴ soothly if thou turnest again to the city, and sayest to Absalom, I am thy servant, O king, suffer thou me to live; as I was the servant of thy father, so I shall be thy servant; thou shalt destroy the counsel of Ahithophel (then thou shalt be able to destroy Ahithophel’s advice).

³⁵ And thou hast with thee Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; and whatever word thou shalt hear in the house of the king, thou shalt show it to the priests, Zadok and Abiathar. (And thou shalt have with thee Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; and whatever thing that thou shalt hear in the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to those priests, Zadok and Abiathar.)

³⁶ And their two sons be with them, Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar; and ye shall send by them to me each word that ye shall hear (and ye shall send them to me with all that ye hear).

³⁷ Therefore when Hushai, friend of David, came into the city, also Absalom entered into Jerusalem. (And so David’s friend Hushai came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.)

16 And when David had passed a little (by) the top of the hill, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, appeared into his coming, with twain asses, that were charged with two hundred loaves, and with an hundred bundles of dried grapes, and with an hundred gobbets/an hundred pieces of pressed figs, and with two vessels of wine. (And after David had just left the hilltop, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba appeared before him, with two donkeys that were loaded with two hundred loaves, a hundred bundles of dried grapes, a hundred pieces of pressed figs, and two vessels of wine.)

² And the king said to Ziba, What will these things to themselves? And Ziba answered, My lord the king, the asses be to the menials of the king, that they sit on them; and the loaves and the pressed figs be to thy children to eat; forsooth the wine is, that if any man fail in desert, he (may) drink. (And the king said to Ziba, What doest thou with these things? And Ziba answered, My lord the king, the donkeys be for the king’s menials to sit on; and the loaves and the pressed figs be for thy young men to eat; and the wine, so that if any man feel faint in the wilderness, he hath something to drink.)

³ And the king said, Where is the son of thy lord? And Ziba answered to the king, He dwelled [still] in Jerusalem, and said, Today the Lord of the house of Israel shall restore to me the realm of my father. (And the king said, Where is the grandson of thy lord? And Ziba answered to the king, He remaineth in Jerusalem, and said, Today the house of Israel shall restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.)

⁴ And the king said to Ziba, All things that were of Mephibosheth be thine. And Ziba said, I pray, find I grace before thee, my lord the king. (And the king said to Ziba, All the things that were Mephibosheth‘s now be thine. And Ziba said, I pray thee, that I may find favour before thee, my lord the king.)

⁵ Therefore king David came to Bahurim, and lo! a man of the family of the house of Saul, Shimei by name, [the] son of Gera, went out from thence; he went forth going out, and cursed (and he cursed David as he went forth).

⁶ And he sent stones against David, and against all the servants of king David; and all the people, and all the fighting men went at the right side and at the left side of the king.

⁷ And Shimei spake thus, when he cursed the king, Go out, go out, thou man of bloods, that is, the shedder out of much guiltless blood, and man of Belial!

⁸ The Lord hath yielded to thee all the blood of the house of Saul, for thou hast ravished the realm from him (for thou hast stolen the kingdom from him); and the Lord hath given the realm into the hand of Absalom, thy son; and lo! thine evils oppress thee, for thou art a man of bloods.

⁹ And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Why curseth this dog, that shall die, my lord the king? I shall go, and I shall gird off his head. (And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Why let this dead dog curse my lord the king? I shall go, and I shall cut off his head!)

¹⁰ And the king said, Ye sons of Zeruiah, what is (it) to me and to you? Suffer ye him, that he curse (But the king said, Ye sons of Zeruiah, what is it to me, or to you? Allow ye him to curse me); forsooth the Lord hath commanded to him, that he should curse David; and who is he that dare say, Why did he so?

¹¹ And the king said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Lo! my son, that went out of my womb, seeketh my life; how much more now this son of Benjamin? Suffer ye him, that he curse (me) by [the] commandment of the Lord;

¹² if in hap the Lord behold my tormenting, and yield good to me for this day’s cursing. (perhaps the Lord shall behold my torments, and shall yield good to me for this day’s curses.)

¹³ Therefore David went forth, and his fellows, by the way with him; but Shimei went aside by the slade of the hill (over) against David; and cursed David, and threw stones against him, and sprinkled earth. (And so David, and his fellows, went forth by the way; but Shimei went alongside by the ridge of the hill opposite David; and cursed David, and threw stones at him, and threw dirt.)

¹⁴ And so king David came, and all the people weary with him, and they were refreshed there. (And so the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary to the Jordan River, and they were refreshed there.)

¹⁵ And Absalom, and all the people of Israel entered into Jerusalem, but also Ahithophel with him (and Ahithophel was with him).

¹⁶ And when Hushai of Archi, the friend of David, had come to Absalom, he said to him, Hail, king! hail, king!

¹⁷ To whom Absalom said, This is thy grace to thy friend (This is how thou showest thy loyalty to thy friend?); why wentest thou not with thy friend?

¹⁸ And Hushai answered to Absalom, Nay, for I shall be the servant of him, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel; and I shall dwell with him (and I shall stay with him).

¹⁹ But that I say also this, to whom shall I serve? whether not to the son of the king? as I obeyed to thy father, so I shall obey to thee.

²⁰ And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Take ye counsel (Give ye advice to me), what we ought to do.

²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Enter thou [in] to the concubines of thy father, which he left to keep the house; that when all Israel heareth, that thou hast defouled thy father’s bed, the hands of them be strengthened with thee. (And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Enter thou in to thy father’s concubines, whom he left in charge of the palace; and when all Israel heareth, that thou hast defiled thy father’s bed, the hands of them who be with thee shall be strengthened.)

²² Therefore they stretched out (for) Absalom a tabernacle in the solar, and he entered [in] to the concubines of his father before all Israel. (And so they stretched out a tent on the roof for Absalom, and he lay with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.)

²³ And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man had counselled with God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.

17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, I shall choose to me twelve thousand of men, and I shall rise up, and pursue David in this night. (Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me choose twelve thousand men, and then I shall rise up, and pursue David this very night.)

² And I shall fall on him, for he is weary, and with unbound hands I shall smite him. And when all the people fleeth that is with him, I shall smite the king left alone. (And I shall fall on him, for he is weary, and with enfeebled hands, and I shall strike him down. Yea, when all the people who be with him fleeth away, then I shall strike down only the king/then I shall strike down the king alone.)

³ And I shall lead again all the people, as one man is wont to be turned again; for thou seekest (only) one man, and (then) all the people shall be in peace. (And I shall bring back all the people, and they shall return as if but one man; for thou seekest only one man, and all the other people shall be unharmed.)

⁴ And the word(s) of Ahithophel pleased Absalom, and all the greater men in birth of Israel. (And Ahithophel’s plan pleased Absalom, and all the men of great age, that is, the elders, of Israel.)

⁵ And Absalom said, Call ye also Hushai of Archi, and hear we what also he saith. (And Absalom said, Now call ye Hushai the Archite, and let us hear what he saith.)

⁶ And when Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, Ahithophel hath spoken such a word; ought we (to) do thereafter, either nay? what counsel givest thou?

⁷ And Hushai said to Absalom, This is not good counsel, that Ahithophel hath given in this time. (And Hushai said to Absalom, This is not good advice which Ahithophel hath given thee at this time.)

⁸ And again Hushai said, Thou knowest, that thy father, and the men that be with him, be most strong, and in bitter soul, as if a she bear is fierce in the forest, when her whelps be ravished from her; but also thy father is a man warrior, and he shall not dwell with the people. (And Hushai said, Thou knowest, that thy father, and the men who be with him, be most strong, and with bitter souls, like when a she bear is fierce in the forest, after her cubs be stolen from her; but also thy father is a fighting man, and he shall not stay with the army.)

⁹ In hap now he is hid, either lurketh, in ditches, either in one place, in which he will hide him; and when any man falleth in the beginning, whoever shall hear (of) it, he shall hear, and shall say, Vengeance is done in the people that followed Absalom. (Perhaps even now he is hid, or lurketh, in a ditch, or some other place, where he hideth himself; and when any of your men falleth at the beginning, whoever shall hear of it, he shall say, Revenge is now taken on the people who followed Absalom.)

¹⁰ And each full strong man, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall be discomforted for dread; for all the people of Israel knoweth, that thy father is strong, and that all the men be strong, that be with him. (And then even the strongest man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, shall be enfeebled by fear; for all the people of Israel know that thy father is strong, and that all the men who be with him also be strong.)

¹¹ But this seemeth to me to be rightful counsel; (let) all Israel be gathered to thee, from Dan till to Beersheba, (and they shall be as) unnumberable as the sand of the sea; and thou shalt be in the midst of them.

¹² And we shall fall upon him, in whatever place he is found, and we shall cover him, as dew is wont to fall on the earth; and we shall not leave (any) of the men that be with him, soothly not one. (And then we shall fall on David wherever he is found, and we shall cover him like dew is wont to fall on the ground; and we shall not leave alive any of the men who be with him, no not one.)

¹³ That if he entereth into any city, all Israel shall compass that city with ropes, and we shall draw it into the strand, yea that nothing be found, soothly not a little stone thereof. (And if he entereth into any city, all Israel shall surround that city with ropes, and we shall draw it into the stream, yea so that nothing be found of it, truly not even a little stone of it.)

¹⁴ And Absalom said, and all the men of Israel, The counsel of Hushai of Archi is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; and the profitable counsel of Ahithophel was destroyed by God’s will, that the Lord should bring in evil on Absalom. (And Absalom, and all the men of Israel, said, Hushai the Archite’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s; and so Ahithophel’s good advice was destroyed by God’s will, so that the Lord could bring in evil upon Absalom.)

¹⁵ And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, Ahithophel gave counsel to Absalom, and to the elder men of Israel in this and this manner, and I gave such and such counsel.

¹⁶ Now therefore send ye soon, and tell ye to David, and say ye, Dwell thou not this night in [the] field places of the desert, but pass thou [over] without delay; lest peradventure the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him. (And so now send ye to him soon, and tell ye to David, Stay thou not this night at the Fords, or the crossings, of the Wilderness, but cross thou over the river without delay; lest perhaps the king be swallowed up, and all the people who be with him.)

¹⁷ And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stood beside the well of Rogel (And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at Enrogel); (and) an handmaid went, and told to them, and (then) they went forth to tell the message to king David; for they might not be seen, neither (could) enter into the city.

¹⁸ And a child saw them, and he showed it to Absalom; and they entered with swift going into the house of a man in Bahurim, that had a pit in his place, and they went down into that pit. (But a boy saw them, and he went and told Absalom; and going swiftly, Jonathan and Ahimaaz entered into the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well at his place, and they went down into that well.)

¹⁹ And a woman took, and spread abroad a covering over the mouth of the pit, as (if) drying barley with the peel taken away, and so the thing was hid. (And a woman took, and spread out a covering over the mouth of the well, and then put some peeled barley on top of it, as if to dry it, and so they were hid.)

²⁰ And when the servants of Absalom had come into the house, they said to the woman, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman answered to them, They passed (over) the river of waters, that is, (over the) Jordan. And when they that sought them had not found them, they turned again into Jerusalem (And so when the men who sought them could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem).

²¹ And when they had gone forth, they went up from the pit; and they went, and told to king David, and said, Rise ye up, and passeth soon (over) the flood, for Ahithophel hath given such counsel against you. (And when the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan went up from the well; and they went, and said to King David, Quickly rise ye up, and cross ye over the river, and know ye also that Ahithophel hath spoken such and such a plan against you.)

²² Therefore David rose up, and all the people that was with him, and they passed (over) Jordan, till it was clear day, before that the word was published; and soothly not one was left, that passed not (over) the flood. (And so David, and all the people who were with him, rose up, and they crossed the Jordan River before anyone knew it; and by daylight, everyone had crossed over the river.)

²³ And Ahithophel saw, that his counsel was not done, and he saddled his ass, and rose up, and went into his house, and into his city; and when his house was disposed, he perished by hanging himself, and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father. (And Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, and so he saddled up his donkey, and went back to his house in his city; and after his affairs were in order, he hanged himself, and he was buried in his father’s tomb, or his grave.)

²⁴ And David came into the castles, and Absalom passed [over] Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. (And as David came to Mahanaim, Absalom, and all the men of Israel who were with him, crossed over the Jordan River.)

²⁵ And Absalom ordained Amasa for Joab upon his host; and Amasa was the son of a man that was called Ithra of Jezreel, the which entered to Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, (and) the sister of Zeruiah, that was the mother of Joab. (And Absalom ordained Amasa upon his army, in Joab’s place; and Amasa was the son of a man called Ithra, an Ishmaelite, who entered in to Abigail, who was Nahash’s daughter, and Zeruiah’s sister, Joab’s mother.)

²⁶ And Israel setted tents with Absalom in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ And when David had come into the castles (And when David had come to Mahanaim), Shobi, the son of Nahash of Rabbah, of the sons of Ammon, and Machir, the son of Ammiel, of Lodebar, and Barzillai, of Gilead, of Rogelim,

²⁸ brought to him beddings, and tapets (brought him bedding, and blankets), and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and flour, and beans, and lentils/vetches, and fried chick(pea)s,

²⁹ and honey, and butter, and sheep, and fat calves. And they gave those to David, and to the people that were with him, to eat; for they supposed the people to be made faint for hunger and thirst in desert (for they knew that the people would be made hungry and thirsty in the wilderness).

18 Therefore David, when he had beheld his people, ordained chieftains of thousands, and (chieftains) of hundreds upon them.

² And he gave the third part of the people under the hand of Joab; and the third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab; and the third part under the hand of Ittai, that was of Gath. And the king said to the people, Also I shall go out with you. (And he sent out a third part of the people under Joab’s command; and a third part under Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother; and a third part under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I shall go out with all of you.)

³ And the people answered, Thou shalt not go out; for whether we flee, it shall not pertain to them by great work of us; whether half the part fall down of us, they shall not reckon (it) enough, for thou art reckoned for ten thousand; therefore it is better, that thou be to us in the city in strong succour. (And the people answered, Thou shalt not go out with us; for if we flee, it shall not pertain to them to make any great effort against us; and even if half of us shall fall down, or shall die, they shall not reckon it enough/they shall not reckon it much, for thou art reckoned for ten thousand; and so it is better for us, if thou be in the city, and support us from here.)

⁴ And the king said to them, I shall do that, that seemeth rightful to you. Therefore the king stood beside the gate, and the people went out by their companies, by hundreds, and by thousands.

⁵ And the king commanded to Joab, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, Keep ye to me the child Absalom. And all the people heard the king commanding to all the princes for Absalom. (And the king commanded to Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, and said, For my sake, do not ye harm the young man Absalom. And all the people heard the king commanding to all his officers about Absalom.)

⁶ Therefore the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was made in the forest of Ephraim.

⁷ And the people of Israel was slain there of the host of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand was made in that day. (And many Israelites were killed there by David’s army, yea, there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand that day.)

⁸ And the battle was scattered there upon the face of all the land, and many more were of the people which the forest wasted, than they which the sword devoured in that day. (And the battle there was scattered over all the countryside, and the forest killed many more people that day, than they whom the sword devoured.)

⁹ Soothly it befelled, that Absalom, sitting on a mule, came against the servants of David; and when the mule had entered under a thick oak, and great, the head of Absalom cleaved to the oak; and when he was hanged betwixt heaven and earth, the mule, on which he sat, passed (forth). (And it befell, that Absalom, sitting on a mule, came toward David’s men; and when the mule had entered under a great thick oak, Absalom’s head got caught in the branches; and while he hung in the air above the ground, the mule, on which he sat, went forth.)

¹⁰ And some man saw this, and told it to Joab, and said, I saw Absalom hanged on an oak (and said, I saw Absalom hung up in an oak).

¹¹ And Joab said to the man that told to him, If thou saw him, why piercedest thou not him through to the earth, and I should have given to thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle? (And Joab said to the man who told him this, If thou saw him thus, why didest thou not pierce him through to the ground, and then I would have gladly given thee ten silver shekels, and a girdle.)

¹² And he said to Joab, Though thou paidest in mine hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not send mine hand into the son of the king; for while we heard, the king commanded to thee, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, Keep ye to me the child Absalom. (And he said to Joab, Though thou paidest me a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son; for while we heard, the king commanded to thee, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, For my sake, do not ye harm the young man Absalom.)

¹³ But and though I had done fool hardily against my life (But if I had acted so foolishly against my own life), this might not be hid from the king, and thou wouldest stand on the contrary side.

¹⁴ And Joab said, Not as thou wilt, but I shall assail him before thee. Therefore Joab took three spears in his hand, and fixed those in(to) the heart of Absalom. And when he sprawled, yet cleaving in the oak (And yet while he sprawled, still caught up in the oak),

¹⁵ ten young squires of Joab ran, and smote, and killed him. (ten young squires of Joab ran over to him, and struck, or stabbed, and killed him.)

¹⁶ And Joab trumped with a clarion, and held with him the people, lest it pursued Israel fleeing, and he would spare the multitude. (And then Joab sounded with a trumpet, to hold back the army with him, lest they pursued the men of Israel fleeing away, for he would spare the multitude.)

¹⁷ And they took Absalom, and casted forth him into a great ditch in the forest, and bare together a full great heap of stones on him; and all Israel fled into their tabernacles. (And they took Absalom’s body, and threw it forth into a great ditch in the forest, and put a great heap of stones on it; and all Israel fled back to their homes.)

¹⁸ Forsooth Absalom, while he lived yet, had raised to him a memorial, which is in the valley of the king; for he said, I have no son, and this shall be the mind of my name; and he called the memorial by his name, and it is called The Hand, that is, (the) Work, of Absalom, till to this day. (And Absalom, while yet he lived, had raised up a memorial to himself, in the King’s Valley; for he said, I have no son, and this shall be in remembrance of my name; and he called the memorial after his own name, and unto this day it is still called The Work of Absalom.)

¹⁹ And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell to the king, that the Lord hath made doom to him of the hand of his enemies. (And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell the king, that the Lord hath made judgement for him, that is, hath avenged him, upon his enemies.)

²⁰ To whom Joab said, Thou shalt not be a messenger in this day, but thou shalt tell in another day; I will not that thou tell this today, for the son of the king is dead (I do not desire that thou tell this news today, for the king’s son is dead).

²¹ And Joab said to Cushi, Go thou, and tell to the king those things that thou hast seen. Cushi worshipped Joab, and ran forth (Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran off).

²² And again Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab, What hindereth, if also I run after Cushi? And Joab said to him, What wilt thou run, my son? Come thou hither, thou shalt not be a bearer of good message (And Joab said to him, Why would thou run, my son? It is better to stay here, for thou shalt not be a bearer of good news).

²³ The which answered, But what if I shall run? And Joab said to him, (Then) Run thou. Therefore Ahimaaz ran by the way of shortness, and speed, and passed Cushi.

²⁴ And David sat betwixt (the) two gates; soothly the espyer, that was in the highness of the gate on the wall, raised up his eyes, and he saw a man alone running; (And David sat between the two gates of the city; and the watchman, who was on the roof of the gate by the wall, raised up his eyes, and he saw a man running alone;)

²⁵ and the espyer cried, and showed to the king. And the king said to him, If he is alone, good message is in his mouth. But while he hasted, and nighed near, (and the watchman cried aloud, and told the king. And the king said to himself, If he is alone, then he hath good news. But while he hastened, and drew near,)

²⁶ the espyer saw another man running; and the espyer cried on high, and said, Another man running alone appeareth to me. And the king said to him, And this man is a good messenger. (the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman cried out on high, and said, Another man also running alone appeareth to me. And the king said to himself, This man must also have good news.)

²⁷ Soothly the espyer said (And the watchman said), I behold the running of the former, as the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and he cometh bringing a good message.

²⁸ And Ahimaaz cried, and said to the king, Hail king! And he worshipped the king lowly before him to the earth, and said, Blessed be thy Lord God, that hath closed together the men, that raised their hands against my lord the king. (And Ahimaaz cried out, and said to the king, Hail king! And honouring the king, he bowed low to the ground before him, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath given thee victory over the men who raised up their hands, that is, who rebelled, against my lord the king.)

²⁹ And the king said, Whether peace is to the child Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw, that is, I heard, a great noise, when Joab, thy servant, thou king, sent me, thy servant; I know none other thing. (And the king said, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw a great tumult/I heard a great noise, when thy servant Joab, O king, sent me, thy servant; I know nothing else.)

³⁰ To whom the king said, Pass thou, and stand here. And when he had passed, and stood, (To whom the king said, Stand thou over there. And when he had stepped aside, and stood in silence,)

³¹ Cushi appeared; and he came and said, My lord the king, I bring good message; for the Lord hath deemed today for thee of the hand of all men that rised against thee. (Cushi appeared; and he came and said, My lord the king, I bring good news; for the Lord hath given thee victory today over all the men who rebelled against thee.)

³² And the king said to Cushi, Whether peace is to the child Absalom? To whom Cushi answered, and said, The enemies of my lord the king, and all men that rise against him into evil, be made as the child. (And the king said to Cushi, Is all well with the young man Absalom? To whom Cushi answered, May all the enemies of my lord the king, and all the men who rebel against him, be made like that young man!)

³³ Therefore the king was sorry, and went up into the solar of the gate, and he wept, and spake thus going (And so the king was deeply grieved, and went up to the roof of the gate, and as he went, he wept, and spoke thus), My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son! who giveth to me, that I die for thee? Absalom, my son! my son, Absalom!

19 Forsooth it was told to Joab, that the king wept, and bewailed his son;

² and the victory in that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard, that it was said in that day, The king maketh sorrow on his son. (and so the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard, that it was said that day, The king sorroweth for his son.)

³ And the people eschewed to enter into the city in that day, as the people turned and fleeing from [the] battle is wont to bow away. (And the people entered into the city on that day in shameful quiet, like the people who turned, and fled away from a battle, be wont to go.)

⁴ And the king covered his head, and cried with great voice (and cried with a loud voice), My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son!

⁵ Therefore Joab entered to the king into the house, and said, Thou hast shamed today the cheers of all thy servants, that have made safe thy life, and the life of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy secondary wives. (And so Joab entered into the palace, and said to the king, Today thou hast brought shame upon all of thy servants who have made thy life safe, and also upon the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and thy wives, and thy secondary wives, or thy concubines.)

⁶ Thou lovest them that hate thee, and thou hatest them that love thee; and thou hast showed today that thou reckest not of thy dukes and of thy servants; and verily I have known now, that if Absalom lived, and all we had been dead, then it should please thee. (Thou lovest them who hate thee, and thou hatest them who love thee; and thou hast shown today that thou carest not for thy leaders or for thy men; and now I truly know, that if Absalom had lived, and all of us had died, it would have pleased thee.)

⁷ Now therefore rise up, and go thou forth, and speak thou, and make satisfaction to thy servants; for I swear to thee by the Lord, that if thou shalt not go forth, soothly not one man shall dwell with thee in this night; and this shall be worse to thee, than all the evils that came [up]on thee from thy young waxing age till into this present time. (And so now rise up, and go thou out, and speak thou, and give satisfaction to thy men; for I swear by the Lord to thee, that if thou shalt not go out to them, truly not one man shall stay with thee through this night; and this shall be worse for thee, than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youngest age unto this present time.)

⁸ Therefore the king rose up, and sat in the gate; and it was told to all the people, that the king sat in the gate, and all the multitude came before the king. Forsooth Israel fled into their tabernacles (Meanwhile all the Israelites had fled to their homes).

⁹ And all the people strived in all the lineages of Israel, and said, The king delivered us from the hand of all our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of Philistines; and now he hath fled from the land for Absalom (and now he hath fled from the land because of Absalom).

¹⁰ Certainly Absalom, whom we anointed upon us, is dead in battle; how long be ye still, and bring not again the king? (how long shall ye be silent, and not bring back the king?) And the counsel of all Israel came to the king.

¹¹ And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, and said, Speak ye to the greater men in birth of Judah, and say ye, Why came ye the last to bring again the king into his house? Soothly the word of all Israel came to the king, that they would bring him again into his house. For the king said, Ye shall say these things to the people, (And King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and said, Speak ye to the men of great age, that is, to the elders, of Judah, and say ye, Why be ye the last to help bring back the king to his palace? Truly the word of all Israel had come to the king, that they would bring him back to his palace. And so the king said, Ye shall say these things to the elders,)

¹² Ye be my brethren, ye be my bone and my flesh; why the last bring ye again the king? (Ye be my kinsmen, ye be my flesh and blood; so why be ye the last to bring back the king?)

¹³ And say ye to Amasa, Whether thou art not my bone and my flesh? God do these things to me, and add these things too, if thou shalt not be master of chivalry (if thou shalt not be the leader of the cavalry, or of the army), before me in all time after Joab.

¹⁴ And David bowed to him the heart of all [the] men of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, and said, Turn thou again, and all thy servants. (And so David turned to himself the hearts of all the men of Judah as if one man; and they sent word to the king, and said, Come thou back again with all thy men.)

¹⁵ And the king turned again, and came till to Jordan (And so the king returned, and came to the Jordan River); and all Judah came till into Gilgal to meet the king, and to lead him over (the) Jordan.

¹⁶ But Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, of Bahurim, hasted, and came down with the men of Judah into the meeting of king David, (And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, hastened from Bahurim, and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David,)

¹⁷ with a thousand men of Benjamin; and Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and (the) fifteen sons of him, and (his) twenty servants were with him; and they brake into (the) Jordan, before the king (and they went over the Jordan River before the king),

¹⁸ and they passed the fords, that they should lead over the house of the king, and do by the behest of the king. Soothly Shimei, the son of Gera, kneeled before the king, when he had passed now Jordan, (and they passed over the crossing, in order to bring over the king’s household, and to do whatever the king commanded. And Shimei, the son of Gera, kneeled before the king, when he had crossed over the Jordan River,)

¹⁹ and said to the king, My lord the king, areckon thou not wickedness to me, neither have thou mind of the wrongs of thy servant in the day (nor remember the wrongs of thy servant on the day), in which thou, my lord the king, wentest out of Jerusalem, neither set thou, king, those wrongs in thine heart;

²⁰ for I thy servant acknowledge my sin; and therefore today I came the first of all the house of Joseph, and I came down into the meeting of my lord the king (and I came down to meet my lord the king).

²¹ And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, Whether Shimei, that cursed the christ of the Lord, shall not be slain for these words? (And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered to him and said, Should not Shimei, who cursed the Lord’s anointed, be killed for those words?)

²² And David said, What is (it) to me and to you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Why be ye made to me today into Satan, that is, (an) adversary? Therefore whether a man shall be slain today in Israel? Whether I know not (that) me (am) made king today on Israel? (And David said, What is it to me or to you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Why be ye made into my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? The day that I am made king upon Israel? Nay!)

²³ And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die; and the king swore to him.

²⁴ Also Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, came down with unwashed feet, and with his beard unclipped, into the coming of the king. And Mephibosheth had not washed his clothes, from the day in which the king went out of Jerusalem till to the day of his coming again in peace. (And Mephibosheth, Saul’s son, came down with unwashed feet, and with his beard unclipped, to meet the king. And Mephibosheth had not washed his clothes from the day in which the king went out of Jerusalem until the day that he returned in victory/until the day that he safely returned home.)

²⁵ And when at Jerusalem he had come to the king (And when he had come from Jerusalem to meet the king), the king said to him, Mephibosheth, why camest thou not with me?

²⁶ And he answered and said, My lord the king, my servant despised me; and I thy servant said to him, that he should saddle the ass to me, and I should ascend, and I should go with the king; for I thy servant am crooked. (And he answered, My lord the king, my servant deceived me; for I thy servant had said to him, that he should saddle up the donkey for me, and then I would get on it, and I would go with the king; for I thy servant am crippled.)

²⁷ Moreover and he accused me, thy servant, to thee, my lord the king; but thou, my lord the king, art as the angel of God; do thou that, that is pleasant to thee. (And moreover he hath accused me, thy servant, to thee, my lord the king; but thou, my lord the king, art like the angel of God to me; so do thou what is pleasing to thee.)

²⁸ For the house of my father was not no but guilty of death to my lord the king; soothly thou hast set me thy servant among the guests of thy board; what therefore have I of just complaint, either (of) what may I more cry to the king? (For my father’s family was guilty of death before my lord the king; but thou hast put me thy servant among the guests at thy table; so what right have I of any complaint, or what more may I ask for from the king?)

²⁹ And the king said to him, What speakest thou more? that that I have spoken is steadfast; thou and Ziba part the possessions. (And the king said to him, Why sayest thou anything more? my decision is final; thou and Ziba will share the possessions.)

³⁰ And Mephibosheth answered to the king, Yea, take he all things, after that my lord the king turned again peaceably into his house (now that my lord the king hath returned home in victory/now that my lord the king hath safely returned home).

³¹ Also Barzillai of Gilead, a full eld man, came down from Rogelim, and led the king over Jordan, ready also to follow him over the flood. (And Barzillai of Gilead, a very old man, came down from Rogelim, and joined in escorting the king over the Jordan River.)

³² And Barzillai of Gilead was full eld, that is, of fourscore years; and he gave meats to the king, when the king dwelled in castles; for Barzillai was a full rich man. (And Barzillai of Gilead was very old, that is, eighty years old; and he gave food to the king, when the king lived at Mahanaim; for Barzillai was a very rich man.)

³³ And so the king said to Barzillai, Come thou with me, that thou rest securely with me in Jerusalem. (And so the king said to Barzillai, Come thou with me, so that thou can have a peaceful life there in Jerusalem with me.)

³⁴ And Barzillai said to the king, How many (more) be the days of [the] years of my life, that I (should) go up with the king into Jerusalem?

³⁵ I am of fourscore years today; whether my wits be quick to deem sweet thing either bitter, either meat and drink may delight thy servant, either may I hear more the voice of singers either of singsters? Why is thy servant to (be a) charge to my lord the king? (I am eighty years old now; can my wits still judge a thing bitter or sweet? or can food and drink still delight thy servant? or can I still hear the voice of singers and singsters? No! So why should thy servant be a burden to my lord the king?)

³⁶ I thy servant shall go forth a little from (the) Jordan with thee, I have no need to this yielding; (I thy servant shall go forth a little from the Jordan River with thee, but I have no need for this reward;)

³⁷ but I beseech thee, that I thy servant turn again, and die in my city, and be buried beside the sepulchre of my father and of my mother; forsooth (my son) Chimham is thy servant, my lord the king, (so) go he with thee, and do thou to him that that seemeth good to thee.

³⁸ Therefore the king said to Barzillai, Chimham (shall) go forth with me; and I shall do to him whatever thing pleaseth thee (and I shall do for him whatever pleaseth thee), and thou shalt get all thing, that thou askest of me.

³⁹ And when all the people and the king had passed [over] Jordan, the king abode; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he turned again into his place. (And when the king and all the people had crossed over the Jordan River, the king stopped there; and he kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and then Barzillai returned to his home.)

⁴⁰ Then the king passed forth into Gilgal, and Chimham (was) with him. And all the people of Judah had led the king over, and the half part only of the people of Israel was present (and also half the people of Israel).

⁴¹ Therefore all the men of Israel came together to the king, and said to him, Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee, and have led the king and his house over Jordan, and all the men of David with him? (And so all the men of Israel who were there came together to the king, and said to him, Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen thee away, and have led the king, and his household, and all the men of David with him, over the Jordan River?)

⁴² And each man of Judah answered to the men of Israel, (and said,) For the king is near (of kin) to me (For the king is our next of kin); why art thou wroth upon this thing? Whether we have eaten anything of the king(’s), either gifts be given to us?

⁴³ And a man of Israel answered to the men of Judah, and said, I am greater by ten parts to the king, and David pertaineth more to me than to thee; why hast thou done wrong to me, and it was not told to me the former, that I should bring again my king? Forsooth the men of Judah answered harder to the men of Israel. (And the men of Israel answered to the men of Judah, and said, We have a greater stake in the king by ten parts, and David pertaineth more to us than to thee; why hast thou done us this wrong? were we not the first to say that we should bring back our king? But the men of Judah answered back even harder to the men of Israel.)