Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Joab^(A) son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.

³⁹ And King David longed to go to Absalom,^(A) for he was consoled^(B) concerning Amnon’s death.

¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah^(A) were there: Joab,^(B) Abishai^(C) and Asahel.^(D) Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.^(E)

⁴ The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

² And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.”

³³ The 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^(A) instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”^[a](B)