1. Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom.
2. As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness.
3. They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle.
4. The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
5. Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves.