2 Samuel 15:2

2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate; and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out and say, "From what city are you?" When the person said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

2 Samuel 15:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:2

And Absalom rose up early
Every morning, to show how diligent and industrious he should be, and closely apply himself to business, was he in any office trader the king, and especially when he should be king himself; this he did to ingratiate himself into the affections of the people:

and stood beside the way of the gate;
either of the king's palace, so Josephus ^F4, or of the city, where courts of judicature are held: the former seems most probable by what follows:

and it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came to the
king for judgment;
that had a controversy with another man on any account, and came to the king to have it decided according to law, or the rules of justice and equity:

then Absalom called unto him, and said, of what city [art] thou?
which question he asked, only to lead on to some further discourse:

and he said, thy servant [is] of one of the tribes;
that is, of one of the cities of the tribes of Israel, and not of a city of another nation.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 1.

2 Samuel 15:2 In-Context

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

2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate; and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out and say, "From what city are you?" When the person said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

3 Absalom would say, "See, your claims are good and right; but there is no one deputed by the king to hear you."

4 Absalom said moreover, "If only I were judge in the land! Then all who had a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give them justice."

5 Whenever people came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of them, and kiss them.