John Gill Commentary 2 Samuel 19:8

"Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent." — 2 Samuel 19:8 (ASV)

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate
Of the city, a public place, where the inhabitants met on divers accounts at times, and where there were always people passing and repassing:

and they told to all the people ;
or it was reported to the soldiers particularly:

saying, behold the king does sit in the gate ;
has laid aside his mourning, appears in public, and receives his friends, and attends to business:

and all the people came before the king ;
to congratulate him on the victory obtained, to receive his thanks and his favours:

for Israel had fled every man to his tent :
or to his city, as the Targum; that is, those that followed Absalom; which is observed not on account of what goes before, but of what follows after; see (2 Samuel 18:17) .