2 Samuel · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
2 Samuel 18 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο Δαυὶδ τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατέστησεν ἐπʼ αὐτῶν χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους.
1 David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 Καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ τὸν λαὸν τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἰωὰβ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἀβεσσὰ υἱοῦ Σαρουίας ἀδελφοῦ Ἰωὰβ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐν χειρὶ Ἐθὶ τοῦ Γεθαίου· καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν, ἐξελθὼν ἐξελεύσομαι καί γε ἐγὼ μεθʼ ὑμῶν.
2 David sent the people out, a third part 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. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.”
3 Καὶ εἶπαν, οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ, ὅτι ἐὰν φυγῇ φύγωμεν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν· καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνωμεν τὸ ἥμισυ ἡμῶν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν, ὅτι σὺ ὡς ἡμεῖς δέκα χιλιάδες· καὶ νῦν ἀγαθὸν, ὅτι ἔσῃ ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ πόλει βοήθεια τοῦ βοηθεῖν.
3 But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”
4 Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὃ ἐὰν ἀρέσῃ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν, ποιήσω· καὶ ἔστη ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνὰ χεῖρα τῆς πύλης· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐξεπορεύετο εἰς ἑκατοντάδας καὶ εἰς χιλιάδας.
4 The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Καὶ ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Ἰωὰβ καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐθὶ, λέγων, φείσασθέ μου τοῦ παιδαρίου τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλώμ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἤκουσεν ἐντελλομένου τοῦ βασιλέως πᾶσι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑπὲρ Ἀβεσσαλώμ.
5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
6 Καὶ ἐξῆλθε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν ἐξεναντίας Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ Ἐφραίμ.
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Καὶ ἔπταισεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἐνώπιον τῶν παίδων Δαυὶδ, καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ θραῦσις μεγάλη ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, εἴκοσι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν.
7 The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐκεῖ ὁ πόλεμος διεσπαρμένος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ δρυμὸς τοῦ καταφαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ, ὑπὲρ οὓς κατέφαγεν ἐν τῷ λαῷ ἡ μάχαιρα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκαίνῃ.
8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Καὶ συνήντησεν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἐνώπιον τῶν παίδων Δαυίδ· καὶ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἦν ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡμιόνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ ἡμίονος ὑπὸ τὸ δάσος τῆς δρυὸς τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ περιεπλάκη ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ δρυῒ, καὶ ἐκρεμάσθη ἀναμέσον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὁ ἡμίονος ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ παρῆλθε.
9 Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10 Καὶ εἶδεν ἀνὴρ εἷς, καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τῷ Ἰωὰβ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἑώρακα τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ κρεμάμενον ἐν τῇ δρυΐ.
10 A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῇ ἀναγγέλλοντι αὐτῷ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἑώρακας· τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐπάταξας αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὴν γῆν; καὶ ἐγὼ ἂν δεδώκειν σοι δέκα ἀργυρίου καὶ παραζώνην μίαν.
11 Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
12 Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ πρὸς Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἵστημι ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖράς μου χιλίους σίκλους ἀργυρίου, οὐ μὴ ἐπιβάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως· ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἡμῶν ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεύς σοι καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐθὶ, λέγων, φυλάξατέ μοι τὸ παιδάριον τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ,
12 The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
13 μὴ ποιῆσαι ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἄδικον· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λόγος οὐ λήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ σὺ στήσῃ ἐξεναντίας.
13 Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ, τοῦτο ἐγὼ ἄρξομαι, οὐχ οὕτως μενῶ ἐνώπιόν σου· καὶ ἔλαβεν Ἰωὰβ τρία βέλη ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς δρυός.
14 Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle of the oak.
15 Καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν δέκα παιδάρια αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτόν.
15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.
16 Καὶ ἐσάλπισεν Ἰωὰβ ἐν κερατίνῃ, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ λαὸς τοῦ μὴ διώκειν ὀπίσω Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι ἐφείδετο Ἰωὰβ τοῦ λαοῦ.
16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
17 Καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, καὶ ἔῤῥιψεν αὐτὸν εἰς χάσμα μέγα ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ εἰς τὸν βόθυνον τὸν μέγαν, καὶ ἐστήλωσεν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν σωρὸν λίθων μέγαν σφόδρα· καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ ἔφυγεν ἀνὴρ εἰς τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ.
17 They took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.
18 Καὶ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἔτι ζῶν ἔλαβε καὶ ἔστησεν ἑαυτῷ τὴν στήλην ἐν ᾗ ἐλήφθη, καὶ ἐστήλωσεν αὐτὴν λαβεῖν τὴν στήλην τὴν ἐν τῇ βασιλέως, ὅτι εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ υἱὸς ἕνεκν τοῦ ἀναμνῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν στήλην, Χεὶρ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
19 Καὶ Ἀχιμάας υἱὸς Σαδὼκ εἶπε, δράμω δὴ καὶ εὐαγγελιῶ τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι ἔκρινε Κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ.
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰωὰβ, οὐκ ἀνὴρ εὐαγγελίας σὺ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ, καὶ εὐαγγελιῇ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἄλλῃ· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ οὐκ εὐαγγελιῇ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπέθανε.
20 Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ τῷ Χουσὶ, Βαδίσας ἀνάγγειλον τῷ βασιλεῖ ὅσα εἶδες· καὶ προσεκύνησε Χουσεὶ τῷ Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ἐξῆλθε.
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
22 Καὶ προσέθετο ἕτι Ἀχιμάας υἱὸς Σαδὼκ, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ἔστω, ὅτι δράμω καί γε ἐγὼ ὀπίσω τοῦ Χουσί· καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ, ἱνατί σὺ τοῦτο τρέχεις, υἱέ μου; δεῦρο, οὐκ ἔστι σοι εὐαγγέλια εἰς ὠφέλειαν πορευομένῳ.
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
23 Καὶ εἶπε, τί γὰρ ἐὰν δράμω; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰωὰβ, δράμε· καὶ ἔδραμεν Ἀχιμάας τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν τοῦ Κεχὰρ, καὶ ὑπερέβη τὸν Χουσί.
23 “But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐκάθητο ἀναμέσον τῶν δύο πυλῶν· καὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ σκοπὸς εἰς τὸ δῶμα τῆς πύλης πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος, καὶ ἐπῇρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶδε. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ τρέχων μόνος ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
25 Καὶ ἀνεβόησεν ὁ σκοπὸς καὶ ἀπήγγειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, εἰ μόνος ἐστὶν, εὐαγγέλια ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπορεύετο πορευόμενος καὶ ἐγγίζων.
25 The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
26 Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ σκοπὸς ἄνδρα ἕτερον τρέχοντα· καὶ ἐβόησεν ὁ σκοπὸς πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ, καὶ εἶπε, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ἕτερος τρέχων μόνος· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, καί γε οὗτος εὐαγγελιζόμενος.
26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
27 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ σκοπός, ἐγὼ ὁρῶ τὸν δρόμον τοῦ πρώτου ὡς δρόμον Ἀχιμάας υἱοῦ Σαδώκ· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς οὗτος, καί γε εἰς εὐαγγελίαν ἀγαθὴν ἐλεύσεται.
27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
28 Καὶ ἐβόησεν Ἀχιμάας, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, εἰρήνη· καὶ προσεκύνησε τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ εἶπεν, εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὃς ἀπέκλεισε τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐπαραμένους τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ βασιλεῖ.
28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!”
29 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Ἀβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν Ἀχιμάας, εἶδον τὸ πλῆθος τὸ μέγα τοῦ ἀποστεῖλαι τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰωὰβ καὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνων τί ἐκεῖ.
29 The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐπίστρεψον, στηλώθητι ὧδε· καὶ ἐπεστράφη, καὶ ἔστη.
30 The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came and stood still.
31 Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ Χουσὶ παρεγένετο, καὶ εἶπε τῷ βασιλεῖ, εὐαγγελισθήτω ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὅτι ἔκρινέ σοι Κύριος σήμερον ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐπεγειρομένων ἐπὶ σέ.
31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”
32 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Χουσὶ, εἰ εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Ἀβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Χουσὶ, γένοιντο ὡς τὸ παιδάριον οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν εἰς κακά.
32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.” 33 The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Absalom
David's handsome son who avenged Tamar, rebelled against his father, and briefly seized the throne.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 15-18
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Joshua 8:10; Exodus 17:9; 1 Samuel 8:12
- 2 Judges 7:16; 2 Samuel 15:19–22; 1 Samuel 11:11; Judges 7:19; Psalm 118:6–8
- 3 2 Samuel 21:17; Zechariah 13:7; 2 Samuel 10:11; Lamentations 4:20; 2 Samuel 17:2
- 4 Isaiah 28:6; 2 Samuel 18:24; 2 Samuel 18:1; 1 Samuel 29:2
- 5 Deuteronomy 21:18–21; 2 Samuel 17:14; 2 Samuel 17:1–4; 2 Samuel 16:11; Luke 23:34
- 6 Joshua 17:18; Joshua 17:15; Judges 12:4–6
- 7 Proverbs 24:21; 2 Samuel 2:17; 2 Samuel 2:26; 2 Samuel 15:6; 2 Chronicles 28:6
- 8 Exodus 15:10; Joshua 10:11; Psalm 3:7; Judges 5:20–21; 1 Kings 20:30
- 9 2 Samuel 14:26; Proverbs 30:17; Job 31:3; 2 Samuel 18:14; Mark 7:10
- 12 2 Samuel 18:5
- 13 2 Samuel 14:19–20; Hebrews 4:13; 2 Samuel 1:15–16; 2 Samuel 4:10–12
- 14 2 Samuel 18:5; Matthew 12:40; 2 Samuel 14:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Judges 4:21
- 16 2 Samuel 20:22; 2 Samuel 2:28; Numbers 10:2–10; 1 Corinthians 14:8
- 17 Joshua 7:26; Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 20:22; Joshua 10:27; 2 Samuel 20:1
- 18 Genesis 14:17; 2 Samuel 14:27; 1 Samuel 15:12; Daniel 4:30; Acts 1:18–19
- 19 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 18:31; Romans 12:19; Psalm 7:6; Psalm 9:4
- 20 2 Samuel 18:5; 2 Samuel 18:33; 2 Samuel 17:16–21; 2 Samuel 18:29; 2 Samuel 18:27
- 22 Romans 1:28; Ephesians 5:4
- 23 John 20:4
- 24 2 Samuel 19:8; 1 Samuel 4:13; 2 Samuel 13:34; Isaiah 21:6–9; Ezekiel 33:2–7
- 27 2 Kings 9:20; 1 Kings 1:42; Romans 10:15; Proverbs 25:13; Proverbs 25:25
- 28 2 Samuel 14:4; Genesis 14:20; Revelation 19:1–3; 2 Samuel 22:27; Psalm 31:8
- 29 2 Samuel 18:22; 2 Samuel 18:19–20; 2 Samuel 20:9
- 31 2 Samuel 18:19; Deuteronomy 32:35–36; 2 Samuel 18:28; Luke 18:7–8; Psalm 124:2–3
- 32 Judges 5:31; 1 Samuel 25:26; Daniel 4:19; Psalm 68:1–2; 2 Samuel 18:29
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences