4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, my son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!
5Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;
6in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you: for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well.
7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don`t go forth, there will not stay a man with you this night: and that will be worse to you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.
8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.
10Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don`t you speak a word of bringing the king back?
