And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom - It is very difficult to account for this general defection of the people. Several reasons are given:
1. David was old or afflicted, and could not well attend to the administration of justice in the land.
2. It does appear that the king did not attend to the affairs of state, and that there were no properly appointed judges in the land; see 2 Samuel 15:3.
3. Joab's power was overgrown; he was wicked and insolent, oppressive to the people, and David was afraid to execute the laws against him.
4. There were still some partisans of the house of Saul, who thought the crown not fairly obtained by David.
5. David was under the displeasure of the Almighty, for his adultery with Bath-sheba, and his murder of Uriah; and God let his enemies loose against him.
6. There are always troublesome and disaffected men in every state, and under every government; who can never rest, and are ever hoping for something from a change.
7. Absalom appeared to be the real and was the undisputed heir to the throne; David could not, in the course of nature, live very long; and most people are more disposed to hail the beams of the rising, than exult in those of the setting, sun.
No doubt some of these causes operated, and perhaps most of them exerted less or more influence in this most scandalous business.