³ Then Absalom would say, ‘I am sure that you are right. You deserve to receive justice. But the king has not given any of his officers authority to listen to you.’ ⁴ Absalom would also say, ‘I think that I should have authority to be a judge in Israel. Then when people have a problem to take to court, they could come to me. I would make sure that they receive justice.’

⁵ When anyone bent his body down low to give honour to Absalom, Absalom would reach out and pull the man towards him. He would kiss the man.