Study Desk

And it was told Ioab, Beholde, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

And the victorie that day was turned into mourning vnto all the people: for the people heard say that day, how the king was grieued for his sonne.

And the people gate them by stealth that day into the citie, as people beeing ashamed steale away when they flee in battell.

But the king couered his face, and the king cried with a loud voyce, O my sonne Absalom, O Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

And Ioab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy seruants, which this day haue saued thy life, and the liues of thy sonnes, & of thy daughters, and the liues of thy wiues, and the liues of thy concubines,

In that thou louest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends; for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes, nor seruants: for this day I perceiue, that if Absalom had liued, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

Now therefore arise, goe foorth, and speake comfortably vnto thy seruants: for I sweare by the Lord, if thou goe not forth, there wil not tarie one with thee this night, and that will be worse vnto thee then all the euill that befell thee from thy youth vntill now.

Then the King rose, and sate in the gate: and they told vnto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate: and all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled euery man to his tent.