⁷ And they spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath

⁷ And they spoke to him, saying, ^(A)“If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

² Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a ^(A)lawsuit^[a] came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your ^[b]case is good and right; but there is no ^[c]deputy of the king to hear you.” ⁴ Moreover Absalom would say, ^(B)“Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” ⁵ And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and ^(C)kiss him. ⁶ In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. ^(D)So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.