2Sa 15:2-4 | NETfull | STEP | Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”

2 Samuel 15:2-4

2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, ^{▼▼ Heb “your servant.” So also in vv. 8, 15, 21.} am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. ^{▼▼ Heb “good and straight.”} But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me ^{▼▼ Heb “Who will make me?”} a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint ^{▼▼ Heb “a complaint and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.} could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”