So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly<n id="1" /> over Abner&#8217;s grave and all the people wept too.

<p class="bodytext">Just as he finished speaking, the king&#8217;s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.<n id="1" /> The king and all his servants wept loudly<n id="2" /> as well.

<p class="bodytext"><v id="(19:2)" /> Joab was told, &#8220;The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up.

<p class="poetry">O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,p> <p class="poetry">who clothed you in scarlet<n id="1" /> as well as jewelry,p> <p class="poetry">who put gold jewelry on your clothes.p>

Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, &#8220;Go back!&#8221;<n id="1" /> So he returned home.p>

<p class="poetry">Your hands<n id="1" /> were not bound,p> <p class="poetry">and your feet were not put into irons.p> <p class="poetry">You fell the way one falls before criminals.&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">All the people<n id="2" /> wept over him again.

He replied, &#8220;While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Perhaps<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> will show pity and the child will live.

They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.p>

<p class="bodytext">His servants said to him, &#8220;What is this that you have done? While<n id="1" /> the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">All the land was weeping loudly<n id="1" /> as all these people were leaving.<n id="2" /> As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving<n id="3" /> on the road that leads to the desert.

<p class="bodytext"><v id="(19:1)" /><n id="1" /> The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, &#8220;My son, Absalom! My son, my son,<n id="2" /> Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!&#8221;<n id="3" />p>