押沙龙败亡
大卫数点跟随他的百姓，立千夫长、百夫长率领他们。
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2大卫把军兵分为三队☛“把军兵分为三队”是根据七十士译本的一些抄本；原文是“派遣军兵”。：三分之一在约押手下，三分之一在洗鲁雅的儿子约押弟弟亚比筛手下，三分之一在迦特人以太手下。王对军兵说：“我必与你们一同出战。”And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
3军兵却说：“你不可出战。若是我们逃跑，敌人不会把心放在我们身上；我们阵亡一半，敌人也不会把心放在我们身上。但现在你一人抵过我们万人，所以你最好留在城里支援我们。”But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
4王对他们说：“你们看怎样好，我就怎样做。”于是王站在城门旁，所有的军兵成百成千地挨次出战去了。And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
5王嘱咐约押、亚比筛、以太说：“你们要为我的缘故宽待那年轻人押沙龙。”王为押沙龙的事嘱咐众将领的话，所有的军兵都听见了。And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6军兵出到田野迎战以色列，在以法莲的树林里交战。So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
7在那里，以色列百姓败在大卫的臣仆面前。那日在那里阵亡的很多，共有二万人。Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
8战争蔓延到整个地面，那日被树林吞噬的军兵比被刀剑吞噬的更多。For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9押沙龙刚好遇见了大卫的臣仆。押沙龙骑着骡子，从大橡树密枝底下经过，他的头被橡树夹住，悬挂在空中☛“空中”：原文直译“天和地之间”。，所骑的骡子就离他去了。And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
10有个人看见，就告诉约押说：“看哪，我看见押沙龙挂在橡树上了。”And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11约押对报信的人说：“看哪，你既看见了，为什么不当场把他击杀在地呢？我必赏你十个银子和一条带子。”And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
12那人对约押说：“即使我手里得了一千银子，也不敢伸手害王的儿子，因为我们听见王嘱咐你、亚比筛、以太说：‘你们要谨慎，不可害那年轻人押沙龙。’And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
13我若冒着生命危险做这傻事☛“我若...这傻事”：原文另译“我若妄为害了他的性命”。，无论何事都瞒不过王，你自己也必远远站在一旁。”Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.
14约押说：“我不能在你面前这样耗下去！”约押手拿三枝短枪，趁押沙龙在橡树上☛“在橡树上”：原文直译“在橡树的心”。还活着，就刺透他的心。Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15给约押拿兵器的十个青年围着押沙龙，击杀他，将他杀死。And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16约押吹角，军兵就回来，不去追赶以色列人，因为约押制止了军兵。And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17他们拿下押沙龙，把他丢在树林中一个大坑里，上头堆起一大堆石头。以色列众人都逃跑，各回自己的帐棚去了。And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
18押沙龙活着的时候，曾在王谷立了一根柱子，因他说：“我没有儿子为我留名。”他就以自己的名字称那柱子为押沙龙碑，直到今日。大卫听闻押沙龙死讯
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.
19撒督的儿子亚希玛斯说：“让我跑去报信给王，耶和华已经为王伸冤，使他脱离仇敌的手了。”Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
20约押对他说：“你今日不可作报信的人，改日再去报信；因为今日王的儿子死了，所以你不可去报信。”And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
21约押对古实人说：“你去把你所看见的告诉王。”古实人向约押叩拜后，就跑去了。Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
22撒督的儿子亚希玛斯又对约押说：“无论怎样，让我随着古实人跑去吧！”约押说：“我儿，你报这信息，既不得赏赐，何必要跑去呢？”Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
23他说：“无论怎样，我要跑去。”约押对他说：“你跑去吧！”亚希玛斯就从平原的路往前跑，越过了古实人。But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
24大卫正坐在内外城门之间。守望的人上到城墙，在城门的顶上举目观看，看哪，有一个人独自跑来。And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25守望的人就大声告诉王。王说：“他若独自来，必是报口信的。”那人跑得越来越近了。And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
26守望的人又见一人跑来，就对守城门的人喊说：“看哪，又有一人独自跑来。”王说：“这也是报信的。”And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
27守望的人说：“我看前面那人的跑法，好像撒督的儿子亚希玛斯的跑法。”王说：“他是个好人，是来报好消息的。”And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
28亚希玛斯向王呼叫说：“平安了！”他就脸伏于地向王叩拜，说：“耶和华－你的神是应当称颂的，他已把那些举手攻击我主我王的人交出来了。”And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
29王说：“年轻人押沙龙平安吗？”亚希玛斯说：“约押派王的仆人，就是你的仆人时，我看见一阵大骚动，却不知道是什么事。”And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
30王说：“你退去，站在这里。”他就退去，站着。And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31看哪，古实人也来到，说：“有信息报给我主我王！耶和华今日为你伸冤，使你脱离一切起来攻击你之人的手。”And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
32王对古实人说：“年轻人押沙龙平安吗？”古实人说：“愿我主我王的仇敌，和一切起来恶意要害你的人，都像那年轻人一样。”And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
33王战抖，就上城门的楼房去痛哭，一面走一面说：“我儿押沙龙啊！我儿，我儿押沙龙啊！我恨不得替你死，押沙龙啊，我儿！我儿！”And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!