4. But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5. And Joab 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;
6. In that you love your enemies, and hate your friends. For you have declared this day, that you regard neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased you well.
7. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak kindly unto your servants: for I swear by the LORD, if you go not forth, there will not tarry one with you this night: and that will be worse unto you than all the evil that befell you from your youth until now.
8. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king does sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9. And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.
10. And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak you not a word of bringing the king back?
11. And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house.
12. You are my brethren, you are my bones and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?
13. And say you to Amasa, Are you not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you be not captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab.