Okufa kwa Abusaalomu
1Awo Dawudi n’akuŋŋaanya abasajja be yalina, n’abalondamu abaduumizi b’enkumi n’abaduumizi b’ebikumi. 218:2 a Bal 7:16; 1Sa 11:11 b 1Sa 26:6 c 2Sa 15:19Dawudi n’abalagira bagende, ekimu kya kusatu nga kiduumirwa Yowaabu, ekimu kya kusatu ekirala nga kiduumirwa muganda wa Yowaabu, Abisaayi batabani wa Zeruyiya, n’ekimu kya kusatu ekirala nga kiduumirwa Ittayi Omugitti. Kabaka n’agamba abasajja nti, “Nange n’agenda nammwe.”
318:3 a 1Sa 18:7 b 2Sa 21:17Naye abasajja ne boogera nti, “Toteekwa kugenda naffe, kubanga ffe bwe tunadduka tebaatufeeko. Ekitundu ku ffe ne bwe tunaafa tebaafeeyo. Ggwe olimu abantu omutwalo gumu ku ffe ffenna. Ekisinga obulungi weeteeketeeke okutudduukirira ng’osinziira mu kibuga.” 4Kabaka n’addamu nti, “Kye musiimye kye nnaakola.” Awo kabaka n’ayimirira ku mabbali ga wankaaki, ng’eggye lyonna likumba okufuluma mu bibinja eby’ekikumi n’eby’olukumi. 5Kabaka n’alagira Yowaabu, ne Abisaayi ne Ittayi ng’ayogera nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu mumukwate n’ekisa ku lwange.”
Abantu bonna ne bawulira kabaka ng’awa abaduumizi bonna ebiragiro ebikwata ku Abusaalomu. 618:6 Yos 17:18Awo eggye ne lifuluma ku ttale okulwana ne Isirayiri, olutalo ne luba mu kibira kya Efulayimu. 7Abasajja ba Isirayiri ne bakubibwa abasajja ba Dawudi, era bangi ne battibwa ku lunaku olwo. Baawera ng’emitwalo ebiri. 8Olutalo ne lubuna ensi yonna, abantu bangi ne bafiira mu kibira okusinga n’abattibwa n’ekitala.
918:9 2Sa 14:26Awo Abusaalomu n’asisinkana n’abasajja ba Dawudi. Yali yeebagadde ennyumbu ye. Ennyumbu n’eyita wansi w’amatabi amangi ag’omwera omunene, omutwe gwa Abusaalomu ne gulaaliramu, n’asigala ng’alengejja mu bbanga, ennyumbu gye yali yeebagadde n’egenda mu maaso. 10Omu ku basajja bwe yakiraba n’ategeeza Yowaabu nti, “Laba nnalengedde Abusaalomu ng’awanikiddwa ku mwera.” 1118:11 a 2Sa 3:39 b 1Sa 18:4Yowaabu n’agamba omusajja eyajja okumubuulira nti, “Kiki, wamulabye? Kiki ekyakulobedde okumuttirawo? N’andikusasudde gulaamu kikumi mu kkumi na ttaano eza ffeeza ne nkuwa n’olukoba olw’obuzira.”
12Naye omusajja n’amuddamu nti, “Ne bwe wandinsasudde kilo kkumi n’emu eza ffeeza, sandigololedde mukono gwange ku mwana wa kabaka. Ffenna twawulidde kabaka ng’abalagira ggwe, Abisaayi ne Ittayi nti, ‘Waleme okubaawo omuntu yenna anaakola Abusaalomu akabi ku lwange.’ 1318:13 2Sa 14:19-20Kale singa mmusse ne ngwa mu mitawaana, tewandimpolerezza, kubanga omanyi nga tewali kigambo ekikwekebwa kabaka.”
1418:14 2Sa 2:18; 14:30Yowaabu n’ayogera nti, “Sirina bbanga lya kukwonoonerako.” N’addira obusaale busatu n’abulasa mu kifuba kya Abusaalomu ng’akyali mulamu mu mwera. 1518:15 2Sa 12:10N’abavubuka kkumi abaasitulanga ebyokulwanyisa bya Yowaabu ne beetooloola Abusaalomu ne bamukuba ne bamutta.
1618:16 2Sa 2:28; 20:22Awo Yowaabu n’afuuwa ekkondeere, eggye ne lireka okugoberera Isirayiri kubanga Yowaabu yabayimiriza. 1718:17 a Yos 7:26 b Yos 8:29Ne batwala Abusaalomu, ne bamusuula mu lunnya oluwanvu mu kibira, ne bamutuumako amayinja. Isirayiri yenna ne badduka nga buli muntu adda ewuwe.
1818:18 a Lub 14:17 b Lub 50:5; Kbl 32:42; 1Sa 15:12 c 2Sa 14:27Mu bulamu bwe, Abusaalomu yaddira empagi n’agiteeka mu kiwonvu kya kabaka ng’ekijjukizo kye; n’ayogera nti, “Sirina mwana wabulenzi kwe balijjuukirira erinnya lyange.” Empagi n’agituuma erinnya lye, era eyitibwa kijjukizo kya Abusaalomu ne leero.
Dawudi Akungubagira Abusaalomu
1918:19 a 2Sa 15:36 b nny 31; Bal 11:36Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki n’ayogera nti, “Ka nziruke, ntwalire kabaka amawulire nga Mukama bw’amulokodde mu mukono gw’omulabe we.” 20Naye Yowaabu n’amugamba nti, “Si ggwe onootwala amawulire leero. Oligatwala olunaku olulala olutali lwa leero, kubanga mutabani wa kabaka afudde.”
21Awo Yowaabu n’agamba omusajja Omukusi nti, “Genda otegeeze kabaka by’olabye.” Omukusi n’avuunama mu maaso ga Yowaabu n’adduka. 22Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki n’agamba Yowaabu nate nti, “Nkwegayiridde, nzikiriza mmale gagoberera Omukusi.” Yowaabu n’amuddamu nti, “Mutabani wange, kiki ekinaaba kikutwala ate nga tolina mawulire g’onootwala aganakuweesa ekirabo?” 23N’ayogera nti, “Ka mmale gagenda.”
Awo Yowaabu n’amugamba nti, “Dduka.” Akimaazi n’addukira mu kkubo ery’olusenyi lwa Yoludaani n’ayisa Omukusi.
2418:24 1Sa 14:16; 2Sa 19:8; 2Bk 9:17; Yer 51:12Awo Dawudi yali atudde wakati w’emiryango ebiri ogw’omunda n’ogw’ebweru, omukuumi n’alinnya waggulu ku wankaaki ku bbugwe. Bwe yayimusa amaaso ge n’alengera omusajja ng’ajja adduka yekka. 25Omukuumi n’ayogerera waggulu n’ategeeza kabaka. Awo kabaka n’amugamba nti, “Bw’aba ng’ali yekka ateekwa okuba ng’aleeta mawulire malungi.” Omusajja n’asembera.
2618:26 1Bk 1:42; Is 52:7; 61:1Omukuumi n’alengera omusajja omulala ng’ajja adduka, n’akoowoola omuggazi nti, “Laba omusajja omulala ajja adduka yekka.” Kabaka n’ayogera nti, “Naye ateekwa okuba ng’aleeta mawulire malungi.”
2718:27 2Bk 9:20Awo omukuumi n’ayogera nti, “Kindabikira nga enziruka ey’oli akulembedde eri ng’eya Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki.” Kabaka n’ayogera nti, “Oyo musajja mulungi era ajja n’amawulire malungi.”
28Awo Akimaazi n’ayogerera mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka ng’agamba kabaka nti, “Byonna birungi.” N’avuunama mu maaso ga kabaka, ne yeeyala wansi n’ayogera nti, “Yeebazibwe Mukama Katonda wo, azikirizza abasajja abayimusizza omukono ku mukama wange kabaka.”
29Awo kabaka n’abuuza nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu ali bulungi?” Akimaazi n’addamu nti, “Yowaabu bwe yabadde ng’anaatera okutuma omuddu wa kabaka, nange omuddu wo, nalabye oluyoogaano olunene, naye saategedde kyabadde wo.”
30Kabaka n’amugamba nti, “Ggwe dda wabbali.” N’adda wabbali n’ayimirira awo.
31Awo Omukusi n’atuuka, n’ayogera nti, “Wulira amawulire amalungi mukama wange kabaka. Mukama akulokodde leero mu mukono gw’abo bonna abakuyimukiramu.”
3218:32 Bal 5:31; 1Sa 25:26Kabaka n’abuuza Omukusi nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu mulamu?” Omukusi n’addamu nti, “Ekituuse ku muvubuka oyo, kituuke ku balabe ba mukama wange kabaka, n’abo bonna abamuyimukiramu okumukola akabi.”
3318:33 a Kuv 32:32 b Lub 43:14; 2Sa 19:4; Bar 9:3Kabaka n’afuna ensisi, n’ayambuka mu kisenge ekyali waggulu wa wankaaki, n’akaaba. N’agenda nga bw’ayogera nti, “Mutabani wange Abusaalomu, mutabani wange, mutabani wange Abusaalomu. Singa nze nfudde mu kifo kyo, Abusaalomu, mutabani wange!”
1David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, ‘I myself will surely march out with you.’
3But the men said, ‘You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us.18:3 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts care; for now there are ten thousand like us It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.’
4The king answered, ‘I will do whatever seems best to you.’
So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, ‘Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.’ And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
6David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great – twenty thousand men. 8The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
9Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in mid-air, while the mule he was riding kept on going.
10When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, ‘I have just seen Absalom hanging in an oak tree.’
11Joab said to the man who had told him this, ‘What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels18:11 That is, about 115 grams of silver and a warrior’s belt.’
12But the man replied, ‘Even if a thousand shekels18:12 That is, about 12 kilograms were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, “Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.18:12 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts may be translated Absalom, whoever you may be.” 13And if I had put my life in jeopardy18:13 Or Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously towards him – and nothing is hidden from the king – you would have kept your distance from me.’
14Joab said, ‘I’m not going to wait like this for you.’ So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15And ten of Joab’s armour-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.
16Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 17They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
18During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, ‘I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.’ He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
David mourns
19Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, ‘Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.’
20‘You are not the one to take the news today,’ Joab told him. ‘You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.’
21Then Joab said to a Cushite, ‘Go, tell the king what you have seen.’ The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
22Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, ‘Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.’
But Joab replied, ‘My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.’
23He said, ‘Come what may, I want to run.’
So Joab said, ‘Run!’ Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain18:23 That is, the plain of the Jordan and outran the Cushite.
24While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25The watchman called out to the king and reported it.
The king said, ‘If he is alone, he must have good news.’ And the runner came closer and closer.
26Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, ‘Look, another man running alone!’
The king said, ‘He must be bringing good news, too.’
27The watchman said, ‘It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.’
‘He’s a good man,’ the king said. ‘He comes with good news.’
28Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, ‘All is well!’ He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.’
29The king asked, ‘Is the young man Absalom safe?’
Ahimaaz answered, ‘I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.’
30The king said, ‘Stand aside and wait here.’ So he stepped aside and stood there.
31Then the Cushite arrived and said, ‘My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.’
32The king asked the Cushite, ‘Is the young man Absalom safe?’
The Cushite replied, ‘May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.’
33The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: ‘O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you – O Absalom, my son, my son!’18:33 In Hebrew texts this verse (18:33) is numbered 19:1.
