2 Samuel 15:5
Verse 5 of 37. The 15th of 24 chapters in 2 Samuel, in History.
1After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.
2Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”
3Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”
4Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”
5It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.
6Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.
8For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”
9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
World English Bible. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.