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Then the king stood and tore his clothes and lay on the ground [in mourning]; and all his servants were standing by with their clothes torn.

But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, responded, "Do not let my lord assume that all the king's sons have been put to death; for only Amnon is dead. This act of revenge has been on Absalom's mind since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

And when he finished speaking, the king's sons came, and they raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

But Absalom fled and went to [his mother's father] Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

"Now behold, the entire family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, 'Hand over the one who killed his brother, so that we may put him to death [to pay] for the life of his brother whom he killed and destroy the heir also.' By doing this they will extinguish my coal that is left, leaving my husband without a name or a remnant (heir) on the face of the earth."

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, O king, the guilt is on me and on my father's house, but the king and his throne are guiltless."

The woman said, "Now why have you planned such a thing against God's people? For in speaking this word the king is like a guilty man, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.

"Now I came to speak of this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. So your maidservant thought, 'I will just speak to the king; perhaps the king will do what his maidservant requests.

'For the king will hear and save his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.'

"In order to change the appearance of things [between Absalom and you, his father] your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth."

Joab bowed his face toward the ground and lay himself down and blessed the king. Then Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has done the request of his servant."

However, the king said, "Let him go to his own house, and do not let him see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king's face.

Now in all Israel there was no man as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised [for that]; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

When he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of each year he cut it, because its weight was heavy on him) he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king's weight.

Therefore Absalom said to his servants, "See, Joab's property is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

Then Joab took action and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

So Joab came to the king and told him. Then David called for Absalom, and he came to the king and bowed his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

And whenever a man approached to bow down before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.

Then two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited [as guests to his sacrificial feast] went with Absalom. They went innocently and knew nothing [about his plan against David].

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom increased continually.