שמואל ב, פרק י״ג, פסוק ל״ח

Following the murder of his brother, Absalom sought refuge in a foreign kingdom, beginning a tense period of exile. The narrative brings up his escape to the king of Geshur a second time, even though his initial flight was already established earlier. One approach explains that this repetition simply serves as a bridge to provide a new piece of information: the exact length of his exile, which lasted for three years [מצודת דוד].

Another perspective understands this repeated detail as a sign of a new, much more severe phase of his escape. During the early days of his exile, Absalom moved freely, accompanying the king of Geshur on his travels from city to city. However, as he realized that his father was mourning intensely for a prolonged period, Absalom grew terrified that men might be sent to take revenge against him. Driven by this fear, he avoided traveling on open roads or staying in unwalled towns. He stopped his wandering and permanently settled inside Geshur itself, which was a strongly fortified royal city. The specific note that he was there for three years emphasizes that he completely locked himself away inside this fortress for the entire period, never stepping out [אברבנאל].