28Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face.
29Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.
30So he said to his servants,“Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s portion of the field on fire.
31Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him,“Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?”
32Absalom said to Joab,“Look, I sent a message to you saying,‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message:“Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”
33So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.