2 Samuel 19:8

8 Then the king arose , and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying , Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

2 Samuel 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 19:8

Than the king arose, and sat in the gate
Of the city, a public place, where the inhabitants met on divers accounts at times, and where there were always people passing and repassing:

and they told unto all the people;
or it was reported to the soldiers particularly:

saying, behold the king doth sit in the gate;
has laid aside his mourning, appears in public, and receives his friends, and attends to business:

and all the people came before the king;
to congratulate him on the victory obtained, to receive his thanks and his favours:

for Israel had fled every man to his tent:
or to his city, as the Targum; that is, those that followed Absalom; which is observed not on account of what goes before, but of what follows after; see ( 2 Samuel 18:17 ) .

2 Samuel 19:8 In-Context

6 In that thou lovest thine enemies , and hatest thy friends . For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive , that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well .

7 Now therefore arise , go forth , and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth , there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

8 Then the king arose , and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying , Behold, the king doth sit 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 is fled out of the land for Absalom.

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back ?