Midrash sobre II Samuel 3:31

Our Rabbis were taught: In those places where it is customary for women to follow the bier, they may do so, and where it is customary for them to precede the bier, they may do accordingly. R. Juda, however, maintains that women must always precede the coffin, as we find in the case of David, who followed the coffin, as it is said (II Sam. 3, 31) And the King David walked behind the bier. But the Rabbis objected and said that this was done to appease the people. And they were appeased, because David went from the men to the women and from the women to the men [for this purpose], as it is said (Ib. 37) And all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the will of the king [to kill Abner]. Raba lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ib. 35) And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day? It is written L'hachroth (to destroy), and we read L'habroth (to feed)— i.e., in the beginning the people came to destroy him because of the death of Abner, but after he had appeased them they caused him to eat."

Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “With the rise of the righteous the people rejoice, and with the rule of the wicked the people sigh.” (Proverbs 29:2). When the righteous achieve prominence, there is joy and happiness in the world; there is joy [va]¹⁰The word king [melekh] is preceded with the prefix vav heh. Va is an expression of joy. in the world: “And the King [vehamelekh] David” (II Samuel 3:31), va that David reigned; “and the King [vehamelekh] Solomon” (I Kings 2:45) va that Solomon reigned; “and the King [vehamelekh] Asa” (I Kings 15:22), va that Asa reigned. This is regarding kings of Israel; from where [do we know] regarding kings of the nations of the world? As it is stated: “And Cyrus the King [vehamelekh]” (Ezra 1:4), va that Cyrus reigned.
But when the wicked achieve prominence, woe [vai],¹¹The word reign [yimlokh] is preceded with the prefix vav yod. Vai is an expression of woe. sighing, and enflamed wrath are in the world. “Ahab son of Omri reigned [vayimlokh] over Israel” (I Kings 16:29), vai that Ahab son of Omri reigned. “Hoshe’a son of Ela…reigned [vayimlokh]” (II Kings 15:30), vai that Hoshe’a son of Ela reigned. “Zedekiah son of Yoshiyahu reigned [vayimlokh]” (Jeremiah 37:1), vai that Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned. Regarding kings of the nations of the world, it is as it is written: “It was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1), vai that Aḥashverosh reigned.