¹¹ Now don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you say,^[a] since all the people in my town^[b] know that you are a woman of noble character.^{(A) 12} Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am.

² He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate.^(A) Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, “What city are you from?” If he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

⁴ “I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands.

²⁴ David was sitting between the two gates^(A) when the watchman went up to the roof of the gate and over to the wall.^(B) The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.

^33 [a]The king was deeply moved and went up to the gate chamber and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”^(A)

⁸ So the king got up and sat in the gate,^(A) and all the people were told: “Look, the king is sitting in the gate.” Then they all came into the king’s presence.

Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.^(B)