1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 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 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 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 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 ¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 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 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 ¶ 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 And a certain man saw it , and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 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 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 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 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 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 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 ¶ 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 ¶ 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 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 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 And the king said unto him , Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 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 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 ¶ 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!
18–BOB
Absalomning halokati
1 Dovud yonida yurgan odamlarini bir joyga toʻplab, ular ustidan mingboshilar, yuzboshilar tayinladi. 2 Soʻng odamlarini uch qismga boʻldi, birinchi qismga Yoʻab boshchilik qilardi, ikkinchisiga Yoʻabning akasi Abushay (Zeruyaning oʻgʻli), uchinchisiga Gatlik Etxay boshchilik qilishardi. Shoh odamlarini jangga joʻnatayotib ularga:
— Men ham sizlar bilan birga boraman, — degan edi, 3 ular:
— Biz bilan bormang, — deyishdi. — Bordi–yu, qochishimizga toʻgʻri kelib qolsa, gʻanimlarimiz biz bilan qiziqmaydi. Yarmimiz oʻlib ketganimizda ham eʼtibor berishmaydi. Siz bizning oʻn mingtamizga arziysiz. Siz bizga shahardan turib yordam bering, bizga shunisi yaxshi.
4 — Sizlarga qaysinisi maʼqul boʻlsa, shuni qilganim boʻlsin, — dedi shoh. Odamlar yuz, ming kishilik toʻdalarga boʻlinib shahardan chiqishayotganda, shoh darvoza yonida turgan edi. 5 Shoh Yoʻabga, Abushay va Etxayga:
— Absalom yosh, mening hurmatim uchun unga ziyon yetkazmanglar, — deb tayinladi. Shohning lashkarboshilarga Absalomga aloqador buyruq berganini hamma sipohlar eshitishdi.
6 Absalomga ergashgan Isroil lashkari bilan jang qilish uchun Dovudning odamlari maydonga chiqishdi. Jang Efrayim oʻrmonida boʻldi. 7 Dovudning odamlari Isroil lashkarini magʻlub qildi. Katta talafot boʻldi, oʻsha kuni yigirma ming kishi oʻldi. 8 Jang tobora yoyilib borardi. Oʻsha kuni oʻrmondagi falokatdan nobud boʻlgan odamlarning soni jangda oʻldirilganlarning sonidan koʻp edi.
9 Jang payti Absalom xachirini minib yolgʻiz oʻzi qochib ketayotgan edi, toʻsatdan Dovudning odamlariga duch kelib qoldi. Xachir katta eman daraxtining qalin shoxlari tagidan yelib ketayotganda, Absalomning boshi shoxlar orasiga kirib qoldi. Xachir yelib ketaverdi, Absalom esa daraxtga osilib qoldi. 10 Dovudning odamlaridan biri Absalomning osilib turganini koʻrib qoldi va borib Yoʻabga aytdi:
— Absalomni koʻrdim, u bir eman daraxtida osilib turibdi!
11 Yoʻab xabar olib kelgan odamga:
— Uni koʻrgan boʻlsang, nimaga yerga qulatib oʻldirmading? Senga oʻn kumush tanga va bir kamar hadya etgan boʻlardim, — dedi. 12 Oʻsha odam Yoʻabga shunday javob berdi:
— Hatto ming kumush tanga sanab berganingizda ham, shoh oʻgʻliga qoʻlimni tekkizmayman. Chunki shohning sizga, Abushay va Etxayga “Yosh Absalomning jonini saqlang” degan buyrugʻini biz ham eshitgan edik. 13 Bordi–yu, Absalomning joniga qasd qilganimda, siz oʻzingizni chetga tortmasmidingiz, axir?! Baribir, shohimiz hamma narsadan voqif boʻladi–ku!
14 Yoʻab:
— Sen bilan pachakilashib vaqtimni yoʻqotmay, — dedi–yu, qoʻliga uchta nayza olib oʻsha yerga bordi. Absalom eman daraxtida muallaq osilib turar, hali tirik edi. Yoʻab Absalomning yuragiga nayza sanchdi. 15 Soʻngra Yoʻabning oʻnta qurolbardori Absalomni oʻrab olib, tamomila oʻldirishdi.
16 Yoʻab jangni toʻxtatish uchun burgʻu chaldirdi, shunda Dovudning odamlari Isroil lashkarini quvlashdan toʻxtab, orqaga qaytishdi. 17 Absalomni esa daraxtdan koʻtarib olib, oʻrmondagi chuqur bir xandaqqa uloqtirishdi. Bir talay tosh uyib, xandaq ogʻzini berkitishdi. Shu paytda Isroil lashkarining hammasi uy–uylariga qochib ketishgan edi.
18 Absalom hayotligida “Nomimni davom ettiradigan bitta ham oʻgʻlim yoʻq ”, deb Shoh soyligida oʻziga atab bir yodgorlik toshi oʻrnatgan va yodgorlik toshiga oʻzining nomini bergan edi. Bu yodgorlik shu kungacha “Absalom yodgorligi” deyiladi.
Dovud oʻgʻliga aza tutadi
19 Zodoʻxning oʻgʻli Oximas Yoʻabga:
— Ijozat bersangiz, tez borib shohimizga: “Egam sizni gʻanimlaringiz qoʻlidan qutqardi”, deb xabar yetkazsam, — dedi.
20 — Yoʻq, — dedi Yoʻab, — bugun sen xabar olib bormaysan. Boshqa safar xabar yetkazarsan, lekin bugun emas. Chunki shohning oʻgʻli oʻldi.
21 Keyin Yoʻab Habashistonlik bir odamga :
— Sen borib, koʻrganlaringni shohga ayt, — deb buyurdi. Oʻsha odam Yoʻabga taʼzim qildi–yu, yugurib ketdi. 22 Ammo Oximas yana:
— Nima boʻlsa boʻlar, ijozat bering, men anavi Habashistonlikning orqasidan yugurib borayin, — deb iltimos qildi.
— Oʻgʻlim, nimaga yugurib borishni istab qolding? Senga manfaat keltiradigan xabar yoʻq–ku! — dedi Yoʻab.
23 — Nima boʻlsa boʻlar, hozir yugurib boray, — deb yana iltimos qildi Oximas.
— Mayli, yugur, — dedi Yoʻab. Oximas shu zahoti Iordan tekisligi boʻylab yugurib, Habashistonlikdan oʻzib ketdi.
24 Dovud bu vaqtda shahar darvozasi oldida oʻtirgan edi. Qorovul shahar darvozasi tepasiga chiqdi. Atrofga nazar tashlab, bittasining yugurib kelayotganini koʻrdi 25 va bu haqda shohga aytdi.
— Bittasi kelayotgan boʻlsa, demak, yaxshi xabar olib kelyapti, — dedi shoh.
Oʻsha odam tobora yaqinlashib kelardi. 26 Qorovul yana boshqasining yugurib kelayotganini koʻrib, darvozabonga:
— Ana, yana bittasi yugurib kelyapti, — deb xabar berdi.
— U ham yaxshi xabar olib kelayotir, — dedi shoh.
27 — Menimcha, oldindagi odam yugurishidan Zodoʻx oʻgʻli Oximasga oʻxshaydi, — dedi qorovul.
— Oximas — yaxshi odam, yaxshi xabar olib keladi, — deya javob berdi shoh.
28 Shu payt Oximas baland ovoz bilan shohga:
— Tinchlik–omonlik boʻlsin, shohim! — dedi.
Soʻng shohning oldida muk tushib taʼzim qilib:
— Shoh hazratlariga qoʻl koʻtarganlar ustidan gʻalaba ato qilgan Egangiz Xudoga hamdu sanolar boʻlsin! — dedi.
29 — Bolam Absalom sogʻ–salomatmi? — deb soʻradi shoh.
— Yoʻab men, qulingizni joʻnatgan paytda katta gʻalayon boʻlayotgan edi, keyin nima boʻlganini bilmayman, — dedi Oximas.
30 — Bu tomonga oʻt, shu yerda kutib tur, — dedi shoh. Oximas nariga oʻtib kuta boshladi. 31 Shu orada Habashistonlik yetib keldi.
— Shoh hazratlariga xushxabar! — dedi u. — Egam adolat qilib, sizga qarshi isyon koʻtarganlar ustidan gʻalaba ato qildi.
32 — Bolam Absalom sogʻ–salomatmi? — deb soʻradi shoh Habashistonlikdan.
— Shoh hazratlari! — dedi Habashistonlik. — Gʻanimlaringizning, yomon niyat bilan sizga qarshi otlanganlarning oxirati shu yigitning oxirati kabi boʻlsin.
33 Shoh esankirab qoldi. Darvoza tepasidagi boloxonaga chiqib, faryod qila boshladi. U boloxonaga chiqar ekan:
— Oh, oʻgʻlim Absalom! Oh, oʻgʻilginam, bolam Absalom! Sening oʻrningga men oʻlsam boʻlmasmidi, oʻgʻlim?! Voy, bolam Absalom! — deb faryod qilardi.
