So: as a result of Absalom’s plan and instructions to his servants the deed was done. The text does not go into detail about how it happened except to say that it was as Absalom had commanded. It may be helpful to state explicitly as in Good News Translation that they “killed” Amnon.

All the king’s sons: that is, all the remaining sons of David with the exception of Amnon and Absalom. If there is any danger that anything else will be understood, then this may have to be stated clearly. New Century Version, for example, says “all of David’s other sons.”

Mules: a mule is an animal born of a horse and a donkey, usually a female horse and a male donkey. Although the crossbreeding of animals was forbidden in Israel (Lev 19.19), these animals were apparently imported or taken from other peoples at the time of David and later (see Ezek 27.14). compare Psa 32.9, where the terms “horse” and “mule” are mentioned together. Even in areas where horses are known, people may be unfamiliar with mules. And in other languages the same word is used to speak of a horse, a mule, and a donkey. Some may find it necessary to borrow the word and add a classifier term. But since the precise distinction is unimportant here, it is even possible to translate “riding animal” or something similar.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .