וַיִּפְקֹד דָּוִד אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וַיָּשֶׂם עֲלֵיהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת

After receiving some help from local residents and friends, David counted the people who were with him, conducting a military roll call, and he appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.

וַיְשַׁלַּח דָּוִד אֶת הָעָם הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַד יוֹאָב וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַד אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה אֲחִי יוֹאָב וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁת בְּיַד אִתַּי הַגִּתִּי וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל הָעָם יָצֹא אֵצֵא גַּם אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם

David sent the people; one-third he placed under the command of Yoav, one-third under the command of Avishai, son of Tzeruya, brother of Yoav, and one-third under the command of Itai the Gitite, a loyalist of David who was perhaps the commander of the foreign regiments. The king said to the people: As commander-in-chief, I too will go out to battle with you, just as other leaders of Israel led their forces into battle.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם לֹא תֵצֵא כִּי אִם נֹס נָנוּס לֹא יָשִׂימוּ אֵלֵינוּ לֵב ואִם יָמֻתוּ חֶצְיֵנוּ לֹא יָשִׂימוּ אֵלֵינוּ לֵב כִּי עַתָּה כָמֹנוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲלָפִים וְעַתָּה טוֹב כִּי תִהְיֶה לָּנוּ מֵעִיר לַעְזוֹר

The people said: You shall not go out, for if we are defeated in battle and flee, they will not pay attention to us; it will be merely one battle of a larger war. If half of us die, they will not pay attention to us, as now there are ten thousand like us, another ten thousand to replace us. Now it is better that you help us from the city, serving as general commander of the forces from behind; if you go into battle and something happens to you, the defeat will be final.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם אֶעֱשֶׂה וַיַּעֲמֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל יַד הַשַּׁעַר וְכָל הָעָם יָצְאוּ לְמֵאוֹת וְלַאֲלָפִים

The king said to them: That which is best in your eyes I will do. The king stood next to the gate at the entrance to the city of Mahanayim, and all the people emerged in orderly fashion, by hundreds and by thousands.

וַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת יוֹאָב וְאֶת אֲבִישַׁי וְאֶת אִתַּי לֵאמֹר לְאַט לִי לַנַּעַר לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל הָעָם שָׁמְעוּ בְּצַוֹּת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת כָּל הַשָּׂרִים עַל דְּבַר אַבְשָׁלוֹם

The king instructed Yoav, Avishai, and Itai, the heads of the brigades, saying: Be gentle and compassionate for me with the lad, with Avshalom. Alternatively, David commanded them to cover for Avshalom and save him. David still loved Avshalom; this is apparent from his referring to him as a “lad.” He did not see malice in Avshalom’s actions, but considered them acts of juvenile stupidity. All the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders about the matter of Avshalom. He gave open, general instructions to avoid harming his son as much as possible.

וַיֵּצֵא הָעָם הַשָּׂדֶה לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה בְּיַעַר אֶפְרָיִם

The people, David’s men, deployed in the field against the men of Israel, those with Avshalom; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim, east of the Jordan River. Perhaps the people of Ephraim, whose territory in the Land of Israel was not far from the Jordan River, took their sheep to graze in this forest.

וַיִּנָּגְפוּ שָׁם עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי עַבְדֵי דָוִד וַתְּהִי שָׁם הַמַּגֵּפָה גְדוֹלָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף

The people of Israel, Avshalom’s army, which was gathered from several tribes but was neither organized nor trained, were routed there before the servants of David, at whose head were more experienced commanders. Furthermore, David’s men were presumably more motivated, as for them this was a war of survival. Therefore, they successfully defeated Israel. And the casualties there that day were great; twenty thousand men.

וַתְּהִי שָׁם הַמִּלְחָמָה נָפֹצֶת עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וַיֶּרֶב הַיַּעַר לֶאֱכֹל בָּעָם מֵאֲשֶׁר אָכְלָה הַחֶרֶב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא

The battle there spread across the face of the entire land, as people retreated and scattered across the entire region, and the forest consumed more of the people than the sword consumed on that day. Many men were killed by running into trees and other hazards, such as falling into pits. Consequently, flight into the forest caused many casualties.

וַיִּקָּרֵא אַבְשָׁלוֹם לִפְנֵי עַבְדֵי דָוִד וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם רֹכֵב עַל הַפֶּרֶד וַיָּבֹא הַפֶּרֶד תַּחַת שׂוֹבֶךְ הָאֵלָה הַגְּדוֹלָה וַיֶּחֱזַק רֹאשׁוֹ בָאֵלָה וַיֻּתַּן בֵּין הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבֵין הָאָרֶץ וְהַפֶּרֶד אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתָּיו עָבָר

Avshalom happened to come before a group of the servants of David. At that time, Avshalom was riding on his mule, and the mule came under the thick, intertwined branches of the great terebinth, whose boughs were very low, and his head was caught in the branches of the terebinth. As stated above (14:26), Avshalom had long, flowing hair. And he was suspended, hanging between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that was under him passed ahead without its rider.

וַיַּרְא אִישׁ אֶחָד וַיַּגֵּד לְיוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי אֶת אַבְשָׁלֹם תָּלוּי בָּאֵלָה

One man saw, and reported to Yoav and said: Behold, I saw Avshalom hanging from the terebinth.

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לָאִישׁ הַמַּגִּיד לוֹ וְהִנֵּה רָאִיתָ וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא הִכִּיתוֹ שָׁם אָרְצָה וְעָלַי לָתֶת לְךָ עֲשָׂרָה כֶסֶף וַחֲגֹרָה אֶחָת

Yoav said to the man who told him: Behold, you saw; why did you not smite him there to the ground, killing him on the spot? Had you done so, it would have been incumbent upon me to give you ten silvers and one belt, as a reward for your important act.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ אֶל יוֹאָב וְלוּא אָנֹכִי שֹׁקֵל עַל כַּפַּי אֶלֶף כֶּסֶף לֹא אֶשְׁלַח יָדִי אֶל בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי בְאָזְנֵינוּ צִוָּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֹתְךָ וְאֶת אֲבִישַׁי וְאֶת אִתַּי לֵאמֹר שִׁמְרוּ מִי בַּנַּעַר בְּאַבְשָׁלוֹם

The man said to Yoav: Even were I to weigh not ten, but one thousand silver pieces in my hand, I would not extend my hand against the king’s son, as in our ears the king commanded you, and Avishai, and Itai, saying: Take care, whoever is in a position to do so, of the lad Avshalom.

אוֹ עָשִׂיתִי בְנַפְשִׁי שֶׁקֶר וְכָל דָּבָר לֹא יִכָּחֵד מִן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאַתָּה תִּתְיַצֵּב מִנֶּגֶד

Or if I had acted deceitfully on my own, betraying the trust that was vested in us, and had killed Avshalom secretly according to your wishes, no matter is hidden from the king; ultimately it would have been discovered, and you would have stood aside. You would not have accepted responsibility, and the king would have punished me, not you.

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לֹא כֵן אֹחִילָה לְפָנֶיךָ וַיִּקַּח שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים בְּכַפּוֹ וַיִּתְקָעֵם בְּלֵב אַבְשָׁלוֹם עוֹדֶנּוּ חַי בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה

Yoav said: It is not right that I implore you, or delay until you obey my order. Alternatively, Yoav said to him: Please, do not talk nonsense. He, Yoav, took three staves, thin branches or sharp wood poles, in his hand, and he thrust them into the heart of Avshalom, while he was still alive and hanging in the heart of the terebinth.

וַיָּסֹבּוּ עֲשָׂרָה נְעָרִים נֹשְׂאֵי כְּלֵי יוֹאָב וַיַּכּוּ אֶת אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיְמִיתֻהוּ

Ten lads, bearers of Yoav’s armor, circled around and smote Avshalom and put him to death.

וַיִּתְקַע יוֹאָב בַּשֹּׁפָר וַיָּשָׁב הָעָם מִרְדֹף אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי חָשַׂךְ יוֹאָב אֶת הָעָם

Yoav sounded the shofar; a special blast that announced the end of the battle and instructed the return of the forces to their base. And the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Yoav restrained the people from continuing the fight. After Avshalom’s death, Yoav saw no point in further bloodshed.

וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אֹתוֹ בַיַּעַר אֶל הַפַּחַת הַגָּדוֹל וַיַּצִּבוּ עָלָיו גַּל אֲבָנִים גָּדוֹל מְאֹד וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל נָסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו

They took Avshalom, and they cast him in the forest into the great pit, and they raised upon him a very great pile of stones, and all Israel that were with Avshalom and heard of his death fled, each to his tent, as continuing the rebellion became pointless.

וְאַבְשָׁלֹם לָקַח וַיַּצֶּב לוֹ בְחַיָּיו אֶת מַצֶּבֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי אָמַר אֵין לִי בֵן בַּעֲבוּר הַזְכִּיר שְׁמִי וַיִּקְרָא לַמַּצֶּבֶת עַל שְׁמוֹ וַיִּקָּרֵא לָהּ יַד אַבְשָׁלֹם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

Avshalom had acquired and raised the monument that is in the valley of the king in his lifetime. He had built for himself a memorial or mausoleum in the king’s valley next to Jerusalem, as he said: I do not have a son in order to memorialize my name. Although he had three sons (see 14:27), perhaps they died, or were unworthy of succeeding him. He called the monument by his name, and it is called the shrine of Avshalom to this day. This monument was not built on Avshalom’s grave, which was in a pit east of the Jordan River, as above.

וַאֲחִימַעַץ בֶּן צָדוֹק אָמַר אָרוּצָה נָּא וַאֲבַשְּׂרָה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי שְׁפָטוֹ ה'מִיַּד אֹיְבָיו

Ahimaatz son of Tzadok the priest, who accompanied David’s army, said: I will run now to the city where the king is staying, and bring tidings to the king that the Lord has vindicated him, has done justice for him and saved him, from the hand of his enemies.

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יוֹאָב לֹא אִישׁ בְּשֹׂרָה אַתָּה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ בְּיוֹם אַחֵר וְהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֹא תְבַשֵּׂר כִּי עַל [כֵּן] בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ מֵת

Yoav said to him: You will not be a man of tidings this day, as these tidings will not please the king; you will bring other good tidings, another day. This day you will not bring tidings, as the king’s son is dead.

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לַכּוּשִׁי לֵךְ הַגֵּד לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ כוּשִׁי לְיוֹאָב וַיָּרֹץ

Yoav said to the Kushite, who apparently served in the king’s foreign legion, and was a member of Yoav’s camp: Go tell the king what you have seen. Yoav spared Ahimaatz, and instead sent a simple soldier, who did not understand the significance of his message to the king. The Kushite prostrated himself to Yoav his commander, and ran.

וַיֹּסֶף עוֹד אֲחִימַעַץ בֶּן צָדוֹק וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל יוֹאָב וִיהִי מָה אָרֻצָה נָּא גַם אָנִי אַחֲרֵי הַכּוּשִׁי וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לָמָּה זֶּה אַתָּה רָץ בְּנִי וּלְכָה אֵין בְּשׂוֹרָה מֹצֵאת

Ahimaatz son of Tzadok said again to Yoav: Come what may, please let me, too, run after the Kushite. Perhaps Ahimaatz thought that he could soften the king’s response if he were present. Yoav said: Why will you run, my son, and there are no good tidings found with you? It will be inappropriate, or ineffective, for you to be the one to deliver this news to the king.

וִיהִי מָה אָרוּץ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ רוּץ וַיָּרָץ אֲחִימַעַץ דֶּרֶךְ הַכִּכָּר וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת הַכּוּשִׁי

Ahimaatz did not acquiesce, saying: Come what may, I will run; I feel that I must do so. He, Yoav, said to him: If you insist, run. Ahimaatz ran via the wide plain, rather than the paved road, and by taking that shortcut he passed the Kushite.

וְדָוִד יוֹשֵׁב בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַשְּׁעָרִים וַיֵּלֶךְ הַצֹּפֶה אֶל גַּג הַשַּׁעַר אֶל הַחוֹמָה וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ רָץ לְבַדּוֹ

David was sitting between the two gates of the city, that were built for its protection. The lookout went to the roof of the gate, to the wall, and lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, an unidentified man was running alone.

וַיִּקְרָא הַצֹּפֶה וַיַּגֵּד לַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם לְבַדּוֹ בְּשׂוֹרָה בְּפִיו וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְקָרֵב

The lookout called and reported to the king. The king said: If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth. If our forces had been defeated, many people would be fleeing, so there is no need for concern. He, the runner, went on, continuing to approach.

וַיַּרְא הַצֹּפֶה אִישׁ אַחֵר רָץ וַיִּקְרָא הַצֹּפֶה אֶל הַשֹּׁעֵר וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אִישׁ רָץ לְבַדּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ גַּם זֶה מְבַשֵּׂר

The lookout saw another man running, and the lookout called to the gatekeeper and said: Behold, a man running alone. The king said: He too is a bearer of tidings. David reasoned that if two individuals arrived running, they were certainly sent to relate what had happened.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַצֹּפֶה אֲנִי רֹאֶה אֶת מְרוּצַת הָרִאשׁוֹן כִּמְרֻצַת אֲחִימַעַץ בֶּן צָדוֹק וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִישׁ טוֹב זֶה וְאֶל בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה יָבוֹא

The lookout said: I see the gait of the first is like the gait of Ahimaatz son of Tzadok. The king said: That is a good man, and he is coming with good tidings. He is certainly running in order to bring us good news.

וַיִּקְרָא אֲחִימַעַץ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁלוֹם וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ לְאַפָּיו אָרְצָה וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר סִגַּר אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נָשְׂאוּ אֶת יָדָם בַּאדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ

Ahimaatz called when he finally reached the city, and said to the king: All is well. He prostrated himself to the king with his face to the ground and said: Blessed is the Lord your God, who delivered the men who raised their hand, rebelled, against my lord the king into his hands. Ahimaatz thereby informed the king of the victory in battle.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁלוֹם לַנַּעַר לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִימַעַץ רָאִיתִי הֶהָמוֹן הַגָּדוֹל לִשְׁלֹחַ אֶת עֶבֶד הַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹאָב וְאֶת עַבְדֶּךָ וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי מָה

The king said: Is it well with the lad Avshalom? David’s first question was about his beloved son. Ahimaatz said, evasively: I saw the great tumult which signified our victory, causing Yoav to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I did not know what it was. I do not know the precise details of the victory, as I did not see anything myself.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ סֹב הִתְיַצֵּב כֹּה וַיִּסֹּב וַיַּעֲמֹד

The king said: Turn aside and stand here, next to me. He, Ahimaatz, turned aside and stood,

וְהִנֵּה הַכּוּשִׁי בָּא וַיֹּאמֶר הַכּוּשִׁי יִתְבַּשֵּׂר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי שְׁפָטְךָ ה' הַיּוֹם מִיַּד כָּל הַקָּמִים עָלֶיךָ

and behold, the Kushite came, and the Kushite said: Let the tidings be given to my lord the king, that the Lord has vindicated you today from the hand of all who rose against you. The Kushite brought the same news of the victory.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל הַכּוּשִׁי הֲשָׁלוֹם לַנַּעַר לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר הַכּוּשִׁי יִהְיוּ כַנַּעַר אֹיְבֵי אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר קָמוּ עָלֶיךָ לְרָעָה

The king said to the Kushite: Is it well with the lad Avshalom? The Kushite, who was unafraid to relate the truth, said: May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you for harm, be like the lad.