3 Absalom would say, “Your case is good and proper, but the king hasn’t appointed anyone to hear it.”
4 He would add, “I wish someone would make me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a case to be tried could come to me, and I would make sure that he got justice.”
5 When anyone approached him and bowed down, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6 This is what he did for all Israelites who came to the king to have him try their case. So Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
7 Four years later Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and keep the vow I made to the Lord.
8 I made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram. I said, ‘If the Lord will bring me back to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’ ”
9 “Go in peace,” the king told him.So he went to Hebron.