Absalom's invitation to the king, explicitly requesting David's attendance alongside his brothers and servants, demonstrates his attempt to legitimize the gathering and to ensure its public nature while secretly planning for violence within that public context. His inclusion of David in the invitation, though the king does not attend, suggests Absalom's desire to implicate the king in some sense or to ensure that his actions take place within the framework of royal authority. The sheep-shearing festival, a time of celebration and festivity, provides perfect cover for an assembly that serves instead as a vehicle for vengeance, demonstrating how public events can be weaponized for private purposes. The verse establishes the precariousness of safety within the royal household, where even celebrations become occasions for calculated harm.

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