Then: the common conjunction is rendered in Good News Translation and several other modern versions by simply beginning a new paragraph. This may be the best approach in many other languages.
Came into the house to the king: it is uncertain what the house refers to in this case. Possibly David remained where he was when he first heard the news of Absalom’s death. There is no mention of his going elsewhere. In this case the house seems to refer to the room over the gate described in 18.33. But other interpreters think that he had returned to “his residence” (New American Bible) or “his quarters” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Others, however, take the whole expression to be less specific, meaning that Joab simply went “indoors to the king” (Anchor Bible) or “inside to the king” (New Jerusalem Bible). This seems somewhat more likely.
Covered with shame the faces of all your servants: the Hebrew verb may be translated simply “shamed” or “caused shame” rather than covered with shame. The face is often associated with feelings of shame (compare Psa 83.16 and Ezek 7.18). But it may be quite unnatural to include the word for faces in the translation of this expression. Some languages may say “You have caused all your soldiers to see [feel] shame” or “All your soldiers have become ashamed because of your mourning.”
It is quite possible that there is a certain amount of exaggeration in Joab’s statement. It is doubtful whether Absalom would have killed all the people mentioned, even if he had been completely victorious. But it was not uncommon for rebel leaders to kill the entire royal family of the deposed (compare 1 Kgs 15.29-30; 16.11; and 2 Kgs 10.6-7). However, the point is that the men loyal to David had risked their lives to save him and those close to him. But they were now feeling ashamed rather than proud.
On the translation of concubines see the comments on 3.7 and 5.13.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .