1And David numbered the people who were with him, and set up over them Commanders of thousands and Commanders of hundreds 2A third were with Yuab and a third with Abishi, son of Tsuriya, the brother of Yuab, and a third with Athi the Gettite 3And the King said to the people: “If we run, they will not be set upon us in their hearts; behold ten thousand are enough for us. It is good for us that there would be helpers to us from the cities” 4And the Servants of David said to him: “We shall go out and we shall be quick to fight with them.” The King said to them: “Whatever is pleasing in your eyes, do.” and the King stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands 5And the King commanded Yuab and Abishai and Athi: “Seize for me the boy Abishlum alive!" And all the people heard when the King ordered all the Princes concerning the matter of Abishlum

6And the people went out to the field to meet Israel 7And the people of Israel was battling before the Servants of David, and there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand 8And the battle was very great over the face of the land, and the beast of the forest consumed more of the people than the sword destroyed on that day

9And Abishlum was met in front of the Servants of David and Abishlum was riding on a mule, and the mule went in under the bough of a big branch. and the head of Abishlum was caught in the big branch, and he was hanging between Heaven and Earth, and the mule that was under him passed through and left 10And a man saw and he told Yuab and he said: “I saw Abishlum as he hanged in a branch!” 11Yuab said to the man who told him: “When you saw him, why did you not strike him and throw him on the ground, and I would have given you ten silver pieces and one garment?” 12That man said to Yuab: “If you had counted and you had given me a thousand silver pieces, I would not reach my hand against the son of the King in my presence, for the King ordered you and Abishai and Athi and he said: ‘Take care of the boy Abishlum for me!’ 13If I had done it by myself, I would have been guilty, and nothing is hidden from the King, and you would have been standing at the opposition!” 14Yuab said to him: “I shall not stay thus in front of you!” And Yuab took three rods in his hand and he struck them into the heart of Abishlum while he was alive and hanging in the branch 15And ten young men, the bearers of the weapons of Yuab, turned and they struck Abishlum and they killed him

16And Yuab sounded on the Shophar and he returned all the people who were pursuing after Israel, because Yuab had restrained the people 17And they took Abishlum and they cast him into a dry well, into a great pit, and they raised over him a great heap of stones, and all Israel fled, each person to his tent 18And Abishlum, while he lived, had taken and set up for himself a statue in the Valley of the Kings, because he had said, “There is no one for me who will make my name.” And he called the statue by his name, and it is called “The hand of Abishlum” until today

19And Akhimaz, son of Tsaduq, said: “I shall run, I shall announce to the King that LORD JEHOVAH has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies” 20Yuab said to him: “No, and it is not for you to announce good news today, but announce good news on the next day. You shall not tell good news today, because of the son of the King, for that would be you announcing good news that he is dead!” 21And Yuab said to Kushi: “Go, show the King whatever you have seen!” 22And Akhimaz son of Tsaduq ran again and he said to Yuab: “What then, shall I run also? Shall I go after Kushi? Yuab said to him: “Why are you running my son, because no man has given you good news?” 23He said to him, “What then? I shall run!” He said to him, “Run!” And Akhimaz ran on the road of Kakar and he passed Kushi

24And David was sitting between the two gates, and the Watchman walked on the roof of the gate of the wall, and he lifted up his eyes and he saw a man running alone 25And the Watchman called and he told the King, and the King said: “If he is alone, good news is in his mouth!” 26And he walked, he came and came near, and the Watchman called to the gate and he said: “Behold, another man is running alone!” 27And the Watchman said: “I see the running of the first like the running of Akhimaz, son of Tsaduq.” The King said to him: “He is a good man, and he has come with precious good news!”

28And the King called to Akhimaz and said to him: “Have you come in peace?” And he did homage to the King on his face on the ground and he said: “Blessed is LORD JEHOVAH your God who has delivered the men who reached their hands against my Lord the King!” 29The King said to him: “Is the boy Abishlum well?” Akhimaz said to him: “I saw the great army that surrounded Yuab the Servant of my Lord the King and your Servant. I did not know what was happening!” 30The King said to him: “Stand here!” And he turned and stood

31And behold, Kushi came and he said: “Good news my Lord the King, for LORD JEHOVAH has vindicated him today from the hand of everyone who has stood against him!” 32The King said to Kushi: “Is Abishlum the boy well?" Kushi said: “Let your enemies like be the boy, my Lord the King, and all who have arisen against you for your harm!”

33And he wept and when he wept, he was saying thus:”Oh my son, Abishlum, my son! my son, Abishlum! But truly I would die for your sake, Abishlum my son!”