1 Joab was told, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.”
2 The victory of that day was turned into mourning because all the troops heard that the king was grieving for his son.
3 That day the troops sneaked into the city as if they had fled from battle and were ashamed of it.
4 The king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Then Joab came into the house. “Today you have made all your men feel ashamed,” he said. “They saved your life and the lives of your sons, daughters, wives, and concubines today.