2 Samuel 13:31

31 Then the king rose and tore his garments, and he lay on the ground, and all his servants standing by [were] tearing their garments.

2 Samuel 13:31 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 13:31

Then the king arose, and tore his garments
In token of extreme grief and sorrow, as Jacob did when he was shown the coat of Joseph, supposing him to have been slain, as David thought all his sons were, ( Genesis 37:34 ) ;

and lay on the earth;
on the bare ground, another token of mourning; so Job did on hearing the death of his sons, ( Job 1:20 ) ;

and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent:
did as David did, in imitation of him, joining with him in expressions of sorrow; these were his courtiers, ministers of state, and principal officers in his household.

2 Samuel 13:31 In-Context

29 So Absalom's servants did to Amnon just as Absalom commanded, and all the sons of the king got up, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 {While they were on the way}, the message came to David, "Absalom has killed all the sons of the king, and not one of them [was] left."

31 Then the king rose and tore his garments, and he lay on the ground, and all his servants standing by [were] tearing their garments.

32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, the brother of David, responded and said, "My lord should not think that all the young men, the sons of the king, [are] dead, because only Amnon [is] dead. {Absalom was talking about it}, as it was being determined from the day he raped Tamar his sister.

33 So then, let not my lord the king set his heart on this matter, thinking, 'All the sons of the king [are] dead,' for only Amnon alone [is] dead."