“ No,” Joab told him,“ it wouldn’t be good news to the king that his son is dead. You can be my messenger another time, but not today.”

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。”

约押对他说：“你今日不可作报信的人，改日再去报信；因为今日王的儿子死了，所以你不可去报信。”

约押对他说：“你今日不可作报信的人，改日再去报信；因为今日王的儿子死了，所以你不可去报信。”

但约押对他说：“你今天不要去报信，改天再报吧。你不要今天去，因为王的儿子死了。”

约押对他说：“你今天不可去报消息，改天才可以去报。你今天不可去报消息，因为王的儿子死了。”

約押對他說：「你今日不可去報信，改日可以報信；因為今日王的兒子死了，所以你不可去報信。」

約押對他說：「你今日不可作報信的人，改日再去報信；因為今日王的兒子死了，所以你不可去報信。」

約押對他說：「你今日不可作報信的人，改日再去報信；因為今日王的兒子死了，所以你不可去報信。」

但約押對他說：「你今天不要去報信，改天再報吧。你不要今天去，因為王的兒子死了。」

約押對他說：“你今天不可去報消息，改天才可以去報。你今天不可去報消息，因為王的兒子死了。”

約押對他說：『你今天不可去報消息，改日去報好啦。今天不可報，因為王的兒子死了。』

約押對他說：「你今天不要作報信的人，改天去報信吧。今天你不要去報信，因為王的兒子死了。」

約押曰、今日勿報音信、他日可也、王子既死、今日不可報音信也、

約押曰、王子既死、爾今日勿報信音、當俟他日。

約押謂之曰、爾今日無庸報消息、他日報消息可也、今日王子死、勿報消息、

“ 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.”

“ I don’t want you to take the news to the king today,” Joab told him.“ You can do it some other time. But you must not do it today, because the king’s son is dead.”

And Joab said to him,“ You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

Joab replied to him,“ You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.”

But Joab said to him,“ You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king’s son is dead.”

And Joab said to him,“ You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of 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.

Joab replied to him,“ You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.”

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.

But Joab said to him,“ You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.”

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.”

“ The first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok,” the watchman said.“ He is a good man and comes with good news,” the king replied.

The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried,“ O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”

“ Quick!” he told them.“ Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him.”Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to bring them the message they were to take to King David.But a boy spotted them at En rogel, and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim, where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard.The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.When Absalom’s men arrived, they asked her,“ Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied,“ They were here, but they crossed over the brook.” Absalom’s men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David.“ Quick!” they told him,“ cross the Jordan tonight!” And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed.

“ What about young Absalom?” the king demanded.“ Is he all right?” Ahimaaz replied,“ When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of commotion. But I didn’t know what was happening.”

And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai:“ For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.