11. And Yo’aḇ said to the man who informed him, “Now look, you saw, and why did you not smite him to the earth there? Then I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”
12. But the man answered Yo’aḇ, “Though I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the son of the sovereign. Because in our hearing the sovereign ordered you and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Take heed, you who go against the youth, against Aḇshalom!’
13. “Otherwise I would have been untrue to my own life. For no matter is hidden from the sovereign, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14. And Yo’aḇ said, “Let me not waste time here with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Aḇshalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
15. And ten young men who bore Yo’aḇ’s armour went around, and smote Aḇshalom and put him to death.
16. And Yo’aḇ blew the ram’s horn, and the people returned from pursuing Yisra’ĕl, for Yo’aḇ had held the people back.
17. And they took Aḇshalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped a very large pile of stones over him. And all Yisra’ĕl fled, each one to his tent.
18. And Aḇshalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a monument for himself, which is in the Sovereign’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” And he called the monument after his own name. And to this day it is called Aḇshalom’s Monument.
19. And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said, “Please let me run and take the news to the sovereign, for יהוה has avenged him of his enemies.”
20. But Yo’aḇ said to him, “You are not the man to take the news today, but you shall take the news another day. But today you do not take news, because the sovereign’s son is dead.”
21. And Yo’aḇ said to the Kushite, “Go, inform the sovereign what you have seen.” And the Kushite bowed himself to Yo’aḇ and ran.
22. And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said again to Yo’aḇ, “And whatever might be, please let me also run after the Kushite.” And Yo’aḇ said, “Why would you run, my son, there is no news to bring you reward.”
23. “And whatever might be,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” And Aḥima‛ats ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Kushite.
24. Now Dawiḏ was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, and lifted his eyes and looked and saw a man, running alone.