The author compares the way that the soldiers had to sneak back into the city to the way that soldiers sneak away when they are running away from battle. This emphasizes that they were made to feel ashamed. AT: "in the same way that people who had run away from battle would sneak away because they were ashamed" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])
# sneak
move without being seen by others
# The king covered his face
This is a way to express grief and mourning. AT: "The king showed his grief by covering his face" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]])