And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
The soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom. The verb, being feminine, does not refer to David, neither is it correct to say that David longed to go forth to Absalom; because there is no ground to suppose that he entertained either an intention or a wish to visit his exiled son. The clause should be rendered: The anger of king David ceased to go (left off going) forth against Absalom. In this sense the verb is used, 2 Samuel 11:1; Genesis 14:18, in apparent efforts to pursue the fratricide, and bring him to condign punishment for his crime. [So the Septuagint renders it: kai ekopasen ho basileus Dauid tou exelthein pros Abessaloom, and king David ceased from the labour of going out against Absalom.]