2 Samuel 19:3

And the people gate them by stealth that day into the citie, as people beeing ashamed steale away when they flee in battell. 2 Samuel 19:3 (KJV)

The sentence is often presented as a quotation from 2 Samuel 19, yet it does not appear in any standard translation of the biblical text. The wording resembles a paraphrase rather than a verbatim scriptural passage. The historical narrative of King David’s response to his son Absalom’s rebellion is recorded in 2 Samuel chapters 15‑19. The actual battle in which Absalom’s forces were defeated and Absalom himself was killed occurs in chapter 18; chapter 19 deals mainly with David’s return to Jerusalem, the nation’s mourning, and the political reconciliation that followed the conflict.

Within that context the phrase “the people gat them by stealth that day into the city” describes how many of Absalom’s supporters, having fled the battlefield, entered Jerusalem quietly. The verb “gat” conveys a discreet, stealthy movement, suggesting that the returnees wished to avoid notice because of shame, guilt, or embarrassment. The comparison “as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle” reinforces the image of a defeated crowd moving covertly, much like soldiers who abandon a losing fight and seek safety without drawing attention.

Thus the passage reflects the psychological state of those who had backed Absalom. Their earlier enthusiasm for rebellion gave way to remorse and a sense of disgrace after the defeat. Seeking refuge in the city, they moved in secret, hoping to escape further censure. The verse, whether a literal quotation or a literary interpretation, captures the atmosphere of shame and the quiet retreat of the defeated supporters in the aftermath of the rebellion.