Absalom's practice of rising early and positioning himself at the gate of the city—where people come to seek the king's justice—represents his strategic appropriation of the judicial functions traditionally reserved for the king and his attempt to become the people's primary access to justice. His practice of calling out to those approaching and asking about their origin and their cases reveals his intention to understand the people's grievances and to position himself as an alternative source of justice to his father. The gate of the city was the traditional location for the exercise of justice in ancient Israel, the place where disputes were resolved and righteous judgment was pronounced, making Absalom's presence there a direct challenge to his father's authority. The verse establishes the beginning of Absalom's systematic campaign to undermine the people's confidence in his father's justice and to present himself as a superior alternative.

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