2 Samuel 18

NEW JERUSALEM	Peshitta
1 David reviewed the troops who were with him and appointed commanders of thousands andcommanders of hundreds to lead them.	1 ܘܡܢܐ ܕܘܝܕ ܠܥܡܐ ܕܥܡܗ ܘܐܩܝܡ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܪ̈ܒܝ ܐ̈ܠܦܐ ܘܪ̈ܒܝ ܡܐ̈ܘܬܐ
2 David divided the army into three groups, one under the command of Joab, another under thecommand of Abishai son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab, and the third under the command of Ittai the Gittite.David then said to the troops, 'I shal take the field in person with you.'	2 ܬܘܠܬܐ ܥܡ ܝܘܐܒ ܘܬܘܠܬܐ ܥܡ ܐܒܝܫܝ ܒܪ ܨܘܪܝܐ ܐܚܘܗܝ ܕܝܘܐܒ ܘܬܘܠܬܐ ܥܡ ܐܬܝ ܓܬܝܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܥܡܐ
3 But the troops replied, 'You are not to take the field. No one wil bother about us if we run away, theywil not even bother about us if half of us are kil ed, but you are ten thousand times more valuable. So it is betterif you stay inside the town, in case we need reinforcements.'	3 ܐܢ ܡܥܪܩ ܥܪܩܝܢܢ ܠܐ ܣܝܡܝܢ ܥܠܝܢ ܒܠܒܗܘܢ ܗܫܐ ܟܕܘ ܠܢ ܥܣܪܐ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܛܒ ܠܢ ܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܠܢ ܡܥܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܡܢ ܩܘܪ̈ܝܐ ܘܐܡܪܘ ܠܗ ܥܒ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܠܕܘܝܕ ܚܢܢ ܢܦܘܩ ܘܢܣܬܪܗܒ ܠܡܬܟܬܫܘ ܥܡܗܘܢ
4 David said, 'I will do what you think best.' And the king stood beside the gate as the troops marchedout by their hundreds and their thousands.	4 ܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܠܟܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܫܦܝܪ ܒܥܝܢܝ̈ܟܘܢ ܥܒܕܘ ܘܩܡ ܡܠܟܐ ܥܠ ܝܕ ܬܪܥܐ ܘܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܢܦܩܘ ܠܡܐ̈ܘܬܐ ܘܠܐ̈ܠܦܐ
5 The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai and Ittai, 'For my sake, treat young Absalom gently!' And thetroops all heard the king give al the commanders these orders about Absalom.	5 ܘܦܩܕ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܝܘܐܒ ܘܠܐܒܝܫܝ ܘܠܐܬܝ ܕܐܚܘܕܘ ܠܝ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܟܕ ܚܝ ܘܫܡܥ ܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܟܕ ܦܩܕ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܐ ܥܠ ܨܒܘܬܐ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ
6 So the troops marched out into the open to engage Israel, and the battle took place in the Forest ofEphraim.	6 ܘܢܦܩܘ ܥܡܐ ܠܕܒܪܐ ܠܐܘܪܥܗ ܕܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܘܗܘܐ ܩܪܒܐ
7 There, the army of Israel was beaten by David's retainers; it was a great defeat that day, with twentythousand casualties.	7 ܘܐܬܬܒܪ ܬܡܢ ܥܡܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܩܕܡ ܥܒ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܗܘܐ ܬܡܢ ܡܘܬܢܐ ܪܒܐ ܥܣܪ̈ܝܢ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ
8 The fighting spread throughout the region and that day the forest claimed more victims than the sword.	8 ܘܗܘܐ ܩܪܒܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܕܛܒ ܥܠ ܐ̈ܦܝܗ̇ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܘܐܟܠܬ ܚܝܘܬ ܥܒܐ ܡܢ ܥܡܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܕܐܘܒܕܬ ܚܪܒܐ ܒܗ̇ܘ ܝܘܡܐ
9 Absalom happened to run into some of David's guards. Absalom was riding his mule and the mulepassed under the thick branches of a great oak. Absalom's head got caught in the oak and he was left hangingbetween heaven and earth, while the mule he was riding went on.	9 ܘܐܣܬܩܒܠ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܩܕܡ ܥܒ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܪܟܝܒ ܗܘܐ ܥܠ ܟܘܕܢܝܐ ܘܥܠ ܟܘܕܢܝܐ ܬܚܝܬ ܣܘܟܬܐ ܕܐܝܠܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܘܐܬܥܪܝ ܪܝܫܗ ܕܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܒܐܝܠܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܘܐܬܬܠܝ ܒܝܬ ܫܡܝܐ ܠܐܪܥܐ ܘܟܘܕܢܝܐ ܕܬܚܘܬܘܗܝ ܥܒܪ ܘܐܙܠ
10 Someone saw this and reported to Joab, 'I have just seen Absalom hanging from an oak.'	10 ܘܚܙܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܘܚܘܝ ܠܝܘܐܒ ܘܐܡܪ ܚܙܝܬܗ ܠܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܟܕ ܬܠܐ ܒܐܝܠܬܐ
11 Joab said to the man who had informed him, 'If you saw him, why did you not strike him to theground then and there? I would have made it my business to give you ten silver shekels and a belt!'	11 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܚܘܝܗ ܟܕ ܚܙܝܬܝܗܝ ܠܡܢܐ ܠܐ ܡܚܝܬܝܗܝ ܘܐܪܡܝܬܝܗܝ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܐܢܐ ܝܗܒ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܟ ܥܣܪܐ ܕܟܣܦܐ ܘܠܒܘܫܐ ܚܕ
12 The man replied to Joab, 'Even if I could feel the weight of a thousand silver shekels in my hand, Iwould not lift my hand against the king's son. In our own hearing, the king gave you and Abishai and Ittai theseorders, "For my sake, spare young Absalom."	12 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܗ̇ܘ ܓܒܪܐ ܠܝܘܐܒ ܐܠܘ ܡܢܝܬ ܝܗܒܬ ܠܝ ܐܠܦ ܕܟܣܦܐ ܠܐ ܐܘܫܛܬ ܐܝܕܝ ܥܠ ܒܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܩܕܡܝ ܓܝܪ ܦܩܕ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܟ ܘܠܐܒܝܫܝ ܘܠܐܬܝ ܘܐܡܪ ܕܐܙܕܗܪܘ ܠܝ ܒܛܠܝܐ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ
13 Even if I had deceived myself, nothing stays hidden from the king and you would have dissociatedyourself from me.'	13 ܐܠܘ ܥܒܕܬ ܒܢܦܫܝ ܡܣܟܠ ܗܘܝܬ ܘܡܕܡ ܠܐ ܡܬܛܫܐ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܐܢܬ ܩܐܡ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܢ ܩܒܘܠ
14 Joab then said, 'I cannot waste time arguing with you!' And, taking three darts in his hand, he plantedthem in Absalom's heart, while he was stil alive, deep in the oak-tree.	14 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܢܐ ܐܫܪܐ ܩܕܡܝܟ ܘܢܣܒ ܝܘܐܒ ܬܠܬܐ ܫܒ̈ܛܝܢ ܒܐܝܕܗ ܘܡܚܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܠܒܗ ܕܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܘܥܕܟܝܠ ܚܝ ܗܘܐ ܘܬܠܐ ܒܐܝܠܬܐ
15 Ten soldiers, Joab's armour-bearers, then came in close, struck Absalom and kil ed him.	15 ܘܗܦܟܘ ܥܣܪ̈ܐ ܥܠܝܡ̈ܝܢ ܫܩܝ̈ܠܝ ܡܐ̈ܢܘܗܝ ܕܝܘܐܒ ܘܡܚܐܘܗܝ ܠܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܘܩܛܠܘܗܝ
16 Joab then had the trumpet sounded, and the troops left off pursuing Israel, since Joab held thetroops back.	16 ܘܩܪܐ ܝܘܐܒ ܒܫܝܦܘܪܐ ܘܗܦܟ ܥܡܐ ܕܪܕܦ ܗܘܐ ܒܬܪ ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܡܛܠ ܕܟܠܝܗܝ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܥܡܐ
17 They took Absalom, flung him into a deep pit in the forest and raised a huge cairn over him. Al theIsraelites had fled, dispersing to their homes.	17 ܘܢܣܒܘܗܝ ܠܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܘܐܪܡܝܘܗܝ ܒܓܘܒܐ ܒܓܘܡܨܐ ܪܒܐ ܘܐܩܝܡܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܝܓܪܐ ܪܒܐ ܕܟܐ̈ܦܐ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܬܐ ܘܟܠܗ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܥܪܩܘ ܐܢܫ ܠܡܫܟܢܗ.
18 Now, during his lifetime, Absalom had made and erected a pillar to himself, which is in the Val ey ofthe King. 'I have no son', he said, 'to preserve the memory of my name.' He gave his own name to the pil ar, andtoday it is still cal ed Absalom's Monument.	18 ܘܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܥܕ ܗܘ ܚܝ ܢܣܒ ܗܘܐ ܘܐܩܝܡ ܠܗ ܨܠܡܐ ܒܥܘܡܩܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܠܝܬ ܠܝ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܢܥܒܕ ܫܡܝ ܘܩܪܝܗܝ ܠܨܠܡܐ ܥܠ ܫܡܗ ܘܐܬܩܪܝܬ ܐܝܕܗ ܕܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, 'Let me run and tel the king the good news that Yahweh has vindicatedhis cause by ridding him of his enemies.'	19 ܘܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܒܪ ܨܕܘܩ ܐܡܪ ܐܪܗܛ ܐܣܒܪܝܘܗܝ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܕܕܢܗ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܐܝܕܐ ܕܒ̈ܥܠܕܒܒܘܗܝ
20 But Joab said, 'Today you would be no bearer of good news, some other day you may be; but todayyou would not be bringing good news, since the king's son is dead.'	20 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܐ ܘ̇ܠܐ ܠܟ ܕܬܣܒܪ ܝܘܡܢܐ ܐܠܐ ܣܒܪ ܒܝܘܡܐ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܠܐ ܬܣܒܪ ܝܘܡܢܐ ܥܠ ܒܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܗܘ ܓܝܪ ܡܣܒܪ ܐܢܬ ܕܡܝܬ
21 Joab then said to the Cushite, 'Go and tel the king what you have seen.' The Cushite prostratedhimself to Joab and ran off.	21 ܘܐܡܪ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܟܘܫܝ ܙܠ ܚܘܐ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܚܙܝܬ
22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted. 'Come what may,' he said to Joab, 'please let me run after theCushite.' 'My son,' Joab said, 'why run? You wil get no reward for your news.'	22 ܘܪܗܛ ܬܘܒ ܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܒܪ ܨܕܘܩ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܠܝܘܐܒ ܡܢܐ ܡܕܝܢ ܐܪܗܛ ܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܐܙܠ ܒܬܪ ܟܘܫܝ ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܝܘܐܒ ܠܡܢܐ ܪܗܛ ܐܢܬ ܒܪܝ ܕܠܐ ܐܢܫ ܝܗܒ ܠܟ ܕܣܒܪܬܐ
23 But he replied, 'Come what may, let me run!' and Joab said 'Run, then!' So Ahimaaz ran off along theroad through the Plain, outrunning the Cushite.	23 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܢܐ ܡܕܝܢ ܐܪܗܛ ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܗܪܛ ܘܪܗܛ ܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܟܟܪ ܘܥܒܪܗ ܠܟܘܫܝ
24 David was sitting between the two gates. The sentry, having gone up to the roof of the gate, lookedout from the ramparts and saw a man running alone.	24 ܘܕܘܝܕ ܝܬܒ ܗܘܐ ܒܝܬ ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܬܪ̈ܥܝܢ ܘܗܠܟ ܕܘܩܐ ܥܠ ܐܓܪܐ ܕܬܪܥܐ ܕܫܘܪܐ ܘܐܪܝܡ ܥܝܢ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܚܙܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܕܪܗ̇ܛ ܒܠܚܘܕܘܗܝ
25 The sentry cal ed down to the king and told him. The king said, 'If he is alone, he is bringing goodnews.'	25 ܘܩܪܐ ܕܘܩܐ ܘܚܘܝ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܢ ܒܠܚܘܕܘܗܝ ܗܘ ܣܒܪܬܐ ܒܦܘܡܗ ܘܗܠܟ ܐܬܐ ܘܩܪܒ
26 As the man drew steadily nearer, the lookout man saw another man running, and the sentry abovethe gate shouted, 'Here comes another man, running alone!' David said, 'He too is a bearer of good news.'	26 ܘܩܪܐ ܕܘܩܐ ܠܬܪܥܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܗܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܪܗ̇ܛ ܒܠܚܘܕܘܗܝ
27 The sentry said, 'I recognise the way the first man runs; Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs like that.' 'He is agood man', said the king, 'and comes with good news.'	27 ܘܐܡܪ ܕܘܩܐ ܚܙܐ ܐܢܐ ܪܗܛܗ ܕܩܕܡܝܐ ܐܝܟ ܪܗܛܗ ܕܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܒܪ ܨܕܘܩ ܐܡܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܗܘ ܛܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܘܒܣܒܪܬܐ ܗܘ ܛܒܬܐ ܐܬܐ
28 Ahimaaz went up to the king. 'All hail!' he said, prostrating himself on the ground before the king.'Blessed be Yahweh your God', he said, 'who has handed over the men who rebel ed against my lord the king!'	28 ܘܩܪܐ ܠܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܬܝܬ ܒܫܠܡ ܘܣܓܕ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܥܠ ܐ̈ܦܘܗܝ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܒܪܝܟ ܗܘ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܟ ܕܐܫܠܡ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܐܢܫܐ ܕܐܘܫܒܘ ܐ̈ܝܕܝܗܘܢ ܥܠ ܡܪܝ ܡܠܟܐ
29 'Is al wel with young Absalom?' the king asked. Ahimaaz replied, 'I saw a great commotion whenJoab, the king's servant, sent your servant off, but I do not know what it was.'	29 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܠܟܐ ܫܪܝܪ ܗܘ ܛܠܝܐ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܚܝܡܥܨ ܚܙܝܬ ܚܝܠܐ ܪܒܐ ܕܣܕܪ ܥܠ ܝܘܐܒ ܥܒܕܗ ܕܡܪܝ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܠܥܒܕܟ ܠܐ ܝܕܥܬ ܡܢܐ ܗܘܝܗܝ
30 The king said, 'Go and stand over there.' He stood to one side and waited.	30 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܠܟܐ ܩܘܡ ܗܪܟܐ ܘܐܬܗܦܟ ܘܩܡ
31 Then the Cushite arrived. 'Good news for my lord the king!' the Cushite shouted. 'Today Yahweh hasvindicated your cause, by ridding you of al who had risen up against you.'	31 ܘܗܐ ܟܘܫܝ ܐܬܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܢܣܬܒܪ ܡܪܝ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܕܢܗ ܡܪܝܐ ܝܘܡܢܐ ܡܢ ܐܝܕܐ ܕܟܠ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܩܝܡܝܢ ܥܠܘܗܝ
32 'Is al wel with young Absalom?' the king asked the Cushite. 'May the enemies of my lord the king',the Cushite answered, 'and al who rise up to harm you, share the fate of that young man!'	32 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܟܘܫܝ ܫܪܝܪ ܗܘ ܐܒܫܠܘܡ ܛܠܝܐ ܐܡܪ ܟܘܫܝ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܒܥ̈ܠܕܒܒܝܟ ܐܝܟ ܛܠܝܐ ܡܪܝ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܟܠ ܕܩܡܘ ܥܠܝܟ ܠܒܝܫܬܟ