34 Now Absalom had fled . And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked , and behold , many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain . 35 Jonadab said to the king , "Behold , the king's sons have come ; according to your servant's word , so it happened ." 36 As soon as he had finished speaking , behold , the king's sons came and lifted their voices and wept ; and also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly e . 37 Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud , the king of Geshur . And David mourned for his son every day . 38 So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur , and was there three years .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:34-38
Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:30-39
(Read 2 Samuel 13:30-39)
Jonadab was as guilty of Ammon's death, as of his sin; such false friends do they prove, who counsel us to do wickedly. Instead of loathing Absalom as a murderer, David, after a time, longed to go forth to him. This was David's infirmity: God saw something in his heart that made a difference, else we should have thought that he, as much as Eli, honoured his sons more than God.