The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.

“But that same David, that the difference of his actions may not perhaps disturb those who cling to the words of Scripture; that same David, I say, who had not wept for the innocent infant, wept for the parricide when dead. For at the last, when he was wailing and mourning, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son Absalom! Who will grant me to die for thee!" But not only is Absalom the parricide wept over, Amnon is wept over; not only is the incestuous wept over, but is even avenged; the one by the scorn of the kingdom, the other by the exile of his brothers. The wicked is wept over, not the innocent. What is the cause? What is the reason? There is no little deliberation with the prudent and confirmation of results with the wise; for there is great consistency of prudence in so great a difference of actions, but the belief is one. He wept for those who were dead, but did not think that he ought to weep for the dead infant, for he thought that they were lost to him, but hoped that the latter would rise again.”

“So great is the concern and sympathy of a good pastor. For David was deeply moved at their falling, as when one's own children are killed. And on this ground he begged that the wrath might come upon himself. And in the beginning of the slaughter he would have done this, unless he had seen it advancing and expected that it would come to himself. When therefore he saw that this did not happen, but that the calamity was raging among them, he no longer forbore but was touched more than for Amnon his firstborn. For then he did not ask for death, but now he begs to fall in preference to the others. Such ought a ruler to be and to grieve rather at the calamities of others than his own. Some such thing he suffered in his son's case likewise, that you might see that he did not love his son more than his subjects. The youth was promiscuous and mistreated his father, yet still the father said, "Would that I might have died for you!" What do you say, you blessed one, you who are meekest of all men? Your son was set upon killing you and surrounded you with unnumbered ills. And when he had been removed, and the trophy was raised, do you then pray to be slain? Yes, he says, for it is not for me that the army has been victorious, but I am warred against more violently than before, and my insides are now more torn than before.”

“When King David had endured this affliction from his wicked and treacherous son, he had not only tolerated his uncontrolled passion but even lamented his death. He was not held ensnared by a carnal jealousy, since it was not the outrages inflicted on him, but rather the sins of his son that troubled him. For he had forbidden that his son be killed if he were conquered in order that opportunity for repentance might be reserved for him after he was vanquished. Since this was impossible, he did not grieve because of his bereavement in the death of his son but because he realized into what punishments such a wickedly adulterous and murderous soul was precipitated.”

“And the king was much moved,.... His affections were moved, his passions were stirred up; he was greatly troubled, distressed, and grieved: and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; got out of sight and company as soon as he could; as his own dwelling was at some distance, he made haste to the chamber in the watchtower, over the gate of the city, where the watchman was, to vent his grief; and could not suppress it till he got thither: and as he went; up the stairs to the chamber: thus he said, O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! which repetition expresses the vehemence of his affections, and how inconsolable he was on account of his son's death: would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! some think he said this on account of his eternal state, being satisfied of his own; but it may be it was only the effect of natural affection, indulged to too great a degree, and unbecoming so good a man in such a case; the Targum is,"I wish I had died for thee, and thou hadst remained this day.'' Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 19”

“O my son Absalom - It is allowed by the most able critics that this lamentation is exceedingly pathetic. In what order the words were pronounced, for much depends on this, we cannot say. Perhaps it was the following: - בני אבשלום בני Beni Abshalom, beni! My son Absalom! O my son! בני אבשלום Beni Abshalom! O my son Absalom! מי יתן מותי אני תחתיך Mi yitten muthi ani thachteicha. O that I had died in thy stead! אבשלום בני בני Abshalom, beni! beni! O Absalom, my son, my son! Is there no hope for the soul of this profligate young man? He died in his iniquity: but is it not possible that he implored the mercy of his Maker while he hung in the tree? And is it not possible that the mercy of God was extended to him? And was not that suspension a respite, to the end that he might have time to deprecate the wrath of Divine justice? This is at least a charitable conjecture, and humanity will delight in such a case to lay hold even on possibilities. If there be any room for hope in such a death, who that knows the worth of an immortal soul, would not wish to indulge in it?”

“Wept, in private. (Menochius) — Would. David lamented the death of Absalom, because of the wretched state in which he died; and therefore would have been glad to have saved his life, even by dying for him. In this he was a figure of Christ weeping, praying, and dying for his rebellious children, and even for them that crucified him. (Challoner; St. Ambrose (de Ob. Valent.); Theodoret, q. 35.) — David had presently ceased to weep for the son of Bethsabee, because he had reason to hope that he was saved. (Calmet) Bible Text & Cross-references: Absalom is defeated, and slain by Joab. David mourneth for him. 1 And* David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands, and of hundreds, 2 And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab; and a third part under the hand of Abisai, the son of Sarvia, Joab’s brother; and a third part under the hand of Ethai, who was of Geth: and the king said to the people: I also will go forth with you. 3 And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better, therefore, that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us. 4 And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were defeated there by David’s army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men. 8 And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day. 9 And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on. 10 And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak. 11 And Joab said to the man that told him: If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver, and a belt? 12 And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king’s son: for, in our hearing, the king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. 13 Yea, and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me? 14 And Joab said: Not as thou wilt, but I will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak, 15 Ten young men, armour-bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, slew him. 16 And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare the multitude. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an exceeding great heap of stones upon him: but all Israel fled to their own dwellings. 18 Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his life-time, a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day. 19 And Achimaas, the son of Sadoc, said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies. 20 And Joab said to him: Thou shalt not be the messenger this day, but shalt bear tidings another day: this day I will not have thee bear tidings, because the king’s son is dead. 21 And Joab said to Chusi: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusi bowed down to Joab, and ran. 22 Then Achimaas, the son of Sadoc, said to Joab again: Why might not I also run after Chusi? And Joab said to him: Why wilt thou run, my son? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings. 23 He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas, running by a nearer way, passed Chusi. 24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone. 25 And crying out, he told the king: and the king said: If he be alone, there are good tidings in his mouth. And as he was coming apace and drawing nearer, 26 The watchman saw another man running, and crying aloud from above, he said: I see another man running alone. And the king said: He, also, is a good messenger. 27 And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas, the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news. 28 And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king. And falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against my lord the king. 29 And the king said: Is the young man, Absalom, safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else. 30 And the king said to him: Pass, and stand here. 31 And when he had passed, and stood still, Chusi appeared: and coming up, he said: I bring good tidings, my lord the king: for the Lord hath judged for thee this day, from the hand of all that have risen up against thee. 32 And the king said to Chusi: Is the young man, Absalom, safe? And Chusi answering him, said: Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is. 33 The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he spoke in this manner: *My son, Absalom; Absalom, my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.”

“The king understood the meaning of the words. He was agitated, and went up to the balcony of the gate (the room above the entrance) and wept, and said, walking about, "My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Oh that I had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son!" To understand this passionate utterance of anguish, we must bear in mind not only the excessive tenderness, or rather weakness, of David's paternal affection towards his son, but also his anger that Joab and his generals should have paid so little regard to his command to deal gently with Absalom. With the king's excitable temperament, this entirely prevented him from taking a just and correct view of the crime of his rebel son, which merited death, and of the penal justice of God which had been manifested in his destruction.”