¹⁷ They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up^(A) a large heap of rocks^(B) over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.

⁸ So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,^(A)” they all came before him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.