2 Samuel 15:1-9

New International Version

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 In the course of time,^(A) Absalom provided himself with a chariot^(B) and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. ²He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.^(C) Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”^(D) ⁴And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!^(E) Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

⁵Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts^(F) of the people of Israel.

⁷At the end of four^[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. ⁸While your servant was living at Geshur^(G) in Aram, I made this vow:^(H) ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.^[b]’”