1. Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had fifty men to run in front.
2. He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, “Where are you from?”If they said, “I'm from a tribe in the north,”
3. Absalom would say, “You deserve to win your case. But the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours.
4. I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone.”
5. Whenever anyone would come to Absalom and start bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them.
10-12. He took two hundred men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's adviser Ahithophel to come.More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ”
16-17. David left behind ten of his wives to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him.They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city.