² He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.^(A) 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.”

³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”^(A)