7. Now, get up, go out, and encourage your men. I swear to you by the Lord that if you don’t go out, no one will stay with you tonight, and that will be worse than all the trouble you’ve had in your entire life.”
8. The king sat in the gateway. When all the troops were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they came to the king.Meanwhile, Israel had fled and went back to their own homes.
9. All the people in all the tribes of Israel were arguing with one another, saying, “The king rescued us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but now he has fled from Absalom and left the country.
10. However, Absalom, whom we anointed to rule us, has died in battle. Why is no one talking about bringing back the king?”
11. What all Israel was saying reached the king at his house. So King David sent ⌊this message⌋ to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Ask the leaders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last ⌊tribe⌋ to bring the king back to his palace?