And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
Here is, I. The fright that David was put into by a false report brought to Jerusalem that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, Sa2 13:30. It is common for fame to make bad worse; and the first news of such a thing as this represents it as more dreadful than afterwards it proves.
Commenting on 2 Samuel 13:30-39
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking,.... As soon as the above words were out of his mouth: that, behold, the king's sons came: into the palace, and into the apartment where the king was: and lifted up their voice and wept; not being able to tell the sorrowful news with their mouths, but declared it by...
2Sa 13:36 Jonadab had hardly said this when the king’s sons arrived and wept aloud, sc., as they related what had occurred; whereupon the king and all his retainers broke out in loud weeping.