7 Now therefore arise, go out, and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night; and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.
8 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate. And all the people came before the king; for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you not speak a word of bringing the king back?