Absalom launches a calculated campaign to win the loyalty of the people and quietly undermine the rule of his father, King David. By projecting an image of deep devotion, humility, and care, he carefully plants seeds of doubt regarding the fairness of the king's justice system. The primary approach among commentators is that Absalom established a strict daily routine, rising early every morning to advance his plan and secure public sympathy [חומת אנך]. He strategically positioned himself along the main road leading to the city gate or the king's gate, the central hub where legal trials took place [רלב״ג, רד״ק, אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].
Whenever a person with a legal dispute [מצודת ציון] walked past on their way to seek judgment from the king, Absalom would intercept them and strike up a conversation. He would begin by asking the traveler which city they were from. The primary approach among commentators is that asking about a person's hometown was a tactic to project closeness, affection, and a deep personal interest in the individual's life [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. However, another perspective views this simple question as a calculated political trap. According to this approach, Absalom was subtly hinting that King David was biased, favoring only his own tribe of Judah while neglecting the needs of the rest of the nation [מלבי״ם, אלשיך].
In response, the traveler would identify themselves by naming their specific tribe or region [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. This raises a natural question: why would a person answer with their tribe when asked specifically about their city? One explanation is purely practical. Since Absalom could not possibly know every small town in Israel, the traveler offered their broader tribal affiliation for clarity, while Absalom's highly specific inquiry served only to demonstrate his intense personal care [מצודת דוד]. Conversely, the political interpretation suggests the traveler's response reflects a shared frustration over potential favoritism, implying that all the tribes of Israel should be treated equally. Absalom would then seize upon this sentiment, warning the traveler that the king would never listen to someone outside his own tribe. Through this manipulation, Absalom positioned himself as the ideal alternative—a perfectly fair judge who would never show bias to anyone [אלשיך, מלבי״ם].