15 Sometime after all that, Abshalom acquired a chariot and horses and hired fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand on the side of the road going in and out of the city. Every time that someone came into the city to take a dispute to be settled by the king, Abshalom would ask them where they were from, and they’d reply with their city and tribe, 3 then he’d say, “Listen, No doubt what you’re saying is sensible and right, but the king hasn’t appointed anyone to listen to people from your area.” 4 Then Abshalom would add, “If I was appointed as judge, then every person with a dispute or case could come to me and obtain justice.” 5 Whenever anyone approached him to bow respectfully to him, he would put out his hand and embrace them and kiss them. 6 Abshalom acted that way towards every Israeli who came for a dispute to be settled by the king, and in doing that he stole the hearts of the Israeli people.

7 Four[fn] years later, Abshalom begged the king, “Please, release me to go and fulfill the vow that I made to Yahweh in Hebron, 8 because when I was living in Geshur (in Aram) I promised Yahweh that if he brought me back to Yerushalem, then I’d worship him in Hebron.”

9 “Go in peace,” the king responded, so Abshalom left for Hebron. 10 From there, he sent sleeper groups into all areas of Yisrael, telling them, “When you all hear the trumpet blasts, then shout, ‘Abshalom has become king from Hebron!’ ” 11 Abshalom had invited two hundred men from Yerushalem to go with him to Hebron, but they were innocent and didn’t know what was about to happen. 12 Then while he was offering sacrifices, Abshalom also sent for David’s adviser Ahitofel from Giloh. By now the conspiracy was strengthening, and Abshalom was becoming popular with more and more people.