2 Samuel 15:1

1 After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself and fifty men to run before him.

2 Samuel 15:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:1

And it came to pass after this
After the reconciliation of David and Absalom, and the latter was admitted to court again:

that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses;
to make himself look grand and respectable among the people; perhaps he got these from his grandfather at Geshur in Syria:

and fifty men to run before him;
which added to his pomp and magnificence; and such great personages in later time have had; Nero the Roman emperor never went on a journey with less than a thousand calashes or chariots, and a great number of men that ran before him {c}: and this was tacitly setting himself up for king, at least preparing for it, as Adonijah afterwards did in the same way and manner, ( 1 Kings 1:5 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Suetonius in Vit. Neron. c. 30. Vid. Senecae, Ep. 87. & 123.

2 Samuel 15:1 In-Context

1 After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself and fifty men to run before him.

2 Absalom would get up early and stand near the city gate. Anyone who had a problem for the king to settle would come here. When someone came, Absalom would call out and say, "What city are you from?" The person would answer, "I'm from one of the tribes of Israel."

3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, your claims are right, but the king has no one to listen to you."

4 Absalom would also say, "I wish someone would make me judge in this land! Then people with problems could come to me, and I could help them get justice."

5 People would come near Absalom to bow to him. When they did, Absalom would reach out his hand and take hold of them and kiss them.