Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Samuel 14
³² And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”
³³ So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.
2 Samuel 15
¹ After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.
² He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.
³ Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.
⁴ I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
⁵ When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them.
⁶ Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
⁷ After four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and fulfill a vow I made to him.
⁸ For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the LORD in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”
⁹ “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.” So Absalom went to Hebron.