1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”
3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”
4 Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”
5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.