18：1 大卫数点跟随他的人，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.

18：2 大卫打发军兵出战，分为三队，一队在约押手下，一队在洗鲁雅的儿子，约押兄弟亚比筛手下，一队在迦特人以太手下。大卫对军兵说，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.

18：3 军兵却说，你不可出战。若是我们逃跑，敌人必不介意。我们阵亡一半，敌人也不介意。因为你一人强似我们万人，你不如在城里预备帮助我们。

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.

18：4 王向他们说，你们以为怎样好，我就怎样行。于是王站在城门旁，军兵或百或千地挨次出去了。

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.

18：5 王嘱咐约押，亚比筛，以太说，你们要为我的缘故宽待那少年人押沙龙。王为押沙龙嘱咐众将的话，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.

18：6 兵就出到田野迎着以色列人，在以法莲树林里交战。

So the people went out into the field against Israel： and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim；

18：7 以色列人败在大卫的仆人面前。那日阵亡的甚多，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.

18：8 因为在那里四面打仗，死于树林的比死于刀剑的更多。

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.

18：9 押沙龙偶然遇见大卫的仆人。押沙龙骑着骡子，从大橡树密枝底下经过，他的头发被树枝绕住，就悬挂起来，所骑的骡子便离他去了。

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.

18：10 有个人看见，就告诉约押说，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.

18：11 约押对报信的人说，你既看见他，为什么不将他打死落在地上呢。你若打死他，我就赏你十舍客勒银子，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.

18：12 那人对约押说，我就是得你一千舍客勒银子，我也不敢伸手害王的儿子。因为我们听见王嘱咐你和亚比筛并以太说，你们要谨慎，不可害那少年人押沙龙。

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.

18：13 我若妄为害了他的性命，就是你自己也必与我为敌。原来无论何事都瞒不过王。

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.

18：14 约押说，我不能与你留连。约押手拿三杆短枪，趁押沙龙在橡树上还活着，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.#p#分页标题#e#

18：15 给约押拿兵器的十个少年人围绕押沙龙，将他杀死。

And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom， and slew him.

18：16 约押吹角，拦阻众人，他们就回来，不再追赶以色列人。

And Joab blew the trumpet， and the people returned from pursuing after Israel： for Joab held back the people.

18：17 他们将押沙龙丢在林中一个大坑里，上头堆起一大堆石头。以色列众人都逃跑，各回各家去了。

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.

18：18 押沙龙活着的时候，在王谷立了一根石柱，因他说，我没有儿子为我留名。他就以自己的名称那石柱叫押沙龙柱，直到今日。

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.

18：19 撒督的儿子亚希玛斯说，容我跑去，将耶和华向仇敌给王报仇的信息报与王知。

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.

18：20 约押对他说，你今日不可去报信，改日可以报信。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.

18：21 约押对古示人说，你去将你所看见的告诉王。古示人在约押面前下拜，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.

18：22 撒督的儿子亚希玛斯又对约押说，无论怎样，求你容我随着古示人跑去。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？

18：23 他又说，无论怎样，我要跑去。约押说，你跑去吧。亚希玛斯就从平原往前跑，跑过古示人去了。

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.

18：24 大卫正坐在城瓮里。守望的人上城门楼的顶上，举目观看，见有一个人独自跑来。

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.

18：25 守望的人就大声告诉王。王说，他若独自来，必是报口信的。那人跑得渐渐近了。

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.

18：26 守望的人又见一人跑来，就对守城门的人说，又有一人独自跑来。王说，这也必是报信的。

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.

18：27 守望的人说，我看前头人的跑法，好像撒督的儿子亚希玛斯的跑法一样。王说，他是个好人，必是报好信息。

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.

18：28 亚希玛斯向王呼叫说，平安了。就在王面前脸伏于地叩拜，说，耶和华你的神是应当称颂的，因他已将那举手攻击我主我王的人交给王了。

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.

18：29 王问说，少年人押沙龙平安不平安。亚希玛斯回答说，约押打发王的仆人，那时仆人听见众民大声喧哗，却不知道是什么事。#p#分页标题#e#

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.

18：30 王说，你退去，站在旁边。他就退去，站在旁边。

And the king said unto him， Turn aside， and stand here. And he turned aside， and stood still.

18：31 古示人也来到，说，有信息报给我主我王。耶和华今日向一切兴起攻击你的人给你报仇了。

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.

18：32 王问古示人说，少年人押沙龙平安不平安。古示人回答说，愿我主我王的仇敌，和一切兴起要杀害你的人，都与那少年人一样。

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.

18：33 王就心里伤恸，上城门楼去哀哭，一面走一面说，我儿押沙龙阿。我儿，我儿押沙龙阿。我恨不得替你死，押沙龙阿，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！