² And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside ^(A)the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,”

⁴ The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

²⁴ Now David ^(A)was sitting between the two gates, and ^(B)the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.

^33 [a] And the king was deeply moved and went up ^(A)to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ^(B)“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

⁸ Then the king arose and took his ^(A)seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Now Israel had ^(B)fled every man to his own home.