Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 15:14

"And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword." — 2 Samuel 15:14 (ASV)

Let us flee. —The sequel abundantly proved the wisdom of David’s course. Ahithophel also (2 Samuel 17:1–2) and Hushai (2 Samuel 17:7–13) recognised that delay would be fatal to Absalom’s cause. His rebellion was thoroughly unreasonable, and must lose ground with time given for reflection. By this course also much of the horror of civil war was averted, and Jerusalem saved from “the edge of the sword.”