Thomson(i)
1 And after this, Abessalom procured for himself chariots, and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Abessalom rose early in the morning, and took his stand at the place where the road turned off to the gate. And when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Abessalom called to him, and said, Of what city art thou? And when he said, Thy servant is of such a one of the tribes of Israel,
3 Abessalom said to him, Behold thy cause is good, and easily determined, but there is none appointed by the king to hear thee.
4 Then would Abessalom say, that they would make me a judge in the land! In that case if any man had a defence to make, or a suit to prosecute, and would come to me, I would do him justice.
5 And when any man came to make obeisance to him, he stretched forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 In this manner Abessalom acted to all Israel who were coming to the king for judgment, so that Abessalom won the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And at the end of four years Abessalom said to his father, Let me I pray thee go and pay my vows at Chebron, which I vowed to the Lord.
8 For when I dwelt at Gedsur, in Syria, thy servant vowed a vow, saying, If the Lord will bring me back to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Chebron.
10 Now Abessalom had sent spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Abessalom is king in Chebron.
11 And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men out of Jerusalem. They indeed went in their simplicity, for they knew nothing.
12 And Abessalom sent for Achitophel, the Thekonite, the counsellor of David, from his own city, namely, from Gola, while he was sacrificing. So the conspiracy became strong, and the people who came, and they were many, were with Abessalom.