191 And it is declared to Joab, 'Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;' 2 and the salvation on that day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day, saying, 'The king hath been grieved for his son.' 3 And the people stealeth away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their fleeing in battle; 4 and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth—a loud voice—'My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.' 5 And Joab cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, 'Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines, 6 to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom 'were' alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes. 7 'And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that—thou art not going out—there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this 'is' worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till now.' 8 And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, 'Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:1-8
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:1-8
(Read 2 Samuel 19:1-8)
To continue to lament for so bad a son as Absalom, was very unwise, and very unworthy. Joab censures David, but not with proper respect and deference to his sovereign. A plain case may be fairly pleaded with those above us, and they may be reproved for what they do amiss, but it must not be with rudeness and insolence. Yet David took the reproof and the counsel, prudently and mildly. Timely giving way, usually prevents the ill effects of mistaken measures.