2 Samuel 15:2
And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
Absalom rose up early every day and took his station beside the way of the city gate, where crowds of suppliants waited with controversies to bring to the king for judgment. This was at a time when David was growing inclined toward retirement and solitude, and his listlessness and irresolution had spread to his subordinates, so that negligence and delay characterized the administration of justice. He stood there to intercept the men coming to the king, calling to each one, asking of what city he was, drawing out his case, listening to his grievance, and mingling himself with the suppliants.
He did this as ambitious scheming to court popular favor, artfully turning every cause of dissatisfaction to his own advantage. He expressed sympathy with their sufferings and regret at the inefficiency of the government, making their discontent serve his rise. The sympathy he gave was undue and inappropriate and undeserved, offered in order to draw their sympathy to himself.
His course was a selfish and unstraightforward winning of influence by petting others and conniving at evil. It stands opposite to being a true, firm, open, decided, unselfish friend who does straightforward work and refuses to call good evil and evil good. It was a wrong and destructive course in stirring discontent among the people, and it warns against nurturing complaints or turning people against those responsible for their care.