1. After this Absalom acquired for himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2. Absalom would go early and stand beside the way into the gate. When any man who had a dispute concerning which he had come to the king for a judgment approached, Absalom would call to him and say, “Which city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
3. Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claim is good and right, but there is no one to hear you on behalf of the king.”
4. Absalom would continue, “If I were appointed a judge in the land, then every man who had a claim could come and I would give him justice.”
5. When a man would approach to bow before him, he would reach out, embrace him, and kiss him.
6. Absalom acted this way toward every Israelite who came to the king for a judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7. After forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please allow me to go fulfill my vow that I made to the Lord in Hebron.
8. For your servant made a vow when I was dwelling in Geshur in Aram, saying: If indeed the Lord will bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.”
9. The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
10. But Absalom sent scouts throughout all of the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the horn, say: Absalom has become king in Hebron.”
11. Now two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, invited and unsuspecting; they did not know anything.
12. Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the advisor of David, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. Now the conspiracy was strong, for the number of people with Absalom was continually growing.
13. A messenger came to David and said, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following Absalom.”
14. David said to all of his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We must flee or there will be no escape from Absalom for us. Hurry up and leave, or he will soon reach us and bring disaster upon us, striking the city with the edge of the sword.”
15. The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”
16. So the king left with his entire house after him, but he left behind ten women, concubines, to watch over the house.
17. So the king left with all of the people after him, and they came to a stop at the furthest house.
18. Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.