19 It was told Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”^{(A) 2} So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops, for the troops heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” ³ The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. ⁴ The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”^{(B) 5} Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your officers who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, ⁶ for love of those who hate you and for hatred of those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and officers are nothing to you, for I perceive that, if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. ⁷ So go out at once and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than any disaster that has come upon you from your youth until now.” ⁸ Then the king got up and took his seat in the gate. The troops were all told, “See, the king is sitting in the gate,” and all the troops came before the king.

David Recalled to Jerusalem

Meanwhile, all the Israelites had fled to their homes.^(C)