The minds of the people being prepared for what was to follow, Absalom secretly sent picked men throughout the tribes, to concert measures for a revolt. And now the cloak of religious devotion was assumed to conceal his traitorous designs. A vow made long before while he was in exile must be paid in Hebron. Absalom said to the king, "I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord." The fond father, comforted with this evidence of piety in his son, dismissed him with his blessing. The conspiracy was now fully matured. Absalom's crowning act of hypocrisy was designed not only to blind the king but to establish the confidence of the people, and thus to lead them on to rebellion against the king whom God had chosen.

Folket var allerede forberedt på, hvad der skulle ske, og Absalom sendte nu i hemmelighed udvalgte mænd rundt til stammerne for at forberede en opstand. Han benyttede religionen som en kappe til at dække over sine forræderiske planer. Han skulle rejse til Hebron for at indfri et løfte, som han havde aflagt, da han var landflygtig, og han sagde nu til kongen: "Lad mig få lov til at gå til Hebron og indfri et løfte, jeg har aflagt Herren; thi mens din træl boede i Gesjur i Aram, aflagde jeg det løfte: Hvis Herren lader mig komme tilbage til Jerusalem, vil jeg ære Herren i Hebron!" Den stolte fader følte sig trøstet over dette vidnesbyrd om sin søns gudfrygtighed og gav ham en velsignelse med på vejen. Nu var sammensværgelsen en kendsgerning. Formålet med Absaloms fantastiske hykleri var ikke blot at føre kongen bag lyset, men også at vinde folkets tillid, så prinsen kunne få dem til at gøre oprør imod den konge, som Gud havde udvalgt.