² He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate.^(A) Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, ‘What city are you from? ’ If he replied, ‘Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,’

³ Absalom said to him, ‘Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.’