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 .