2 Samuel 18:13

Contemporary English Version

He always finds out what's going on. I would have been risking my life to kill Absalom, because you would have let me take the blame."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If I had jeopardized my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

Hebrew Names Version
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against [me].

King James Version
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

Lexham English Bible
If I had dealt treacherously against his life, and there is not any matter hidden from the king, you would have presented yourself aloof."

English Standard Version
On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."

New Century Version
If I had killed him, the king would have found out, and you would not have protected me!"

New English Translation
If I had acted at risk of my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king!—you would have abandoned me."

Amplified Bible
"Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously against his life (for nothing is hidden from the king) you yourself would have taken sides against me."

New American Standard Bible
"Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have avoided me."

Geneva Bible (1587)
If I had done it, it had bene the danger of my life: for nothing can be hid from the King: yea, thou thy selfe wouldest haue bin against me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."

Complete Jewish Bible
Or, if I had pretended that I didn't know, the king would have known otherwise anyway; and you wouldn't have interceded for me either."

Darby Translation
Or I should have acted falsely against mine own life, for there is no matter concealed from the king, and thou wouldest have set thyself against [me].

Easy-to-Read Version
If I had killed Absalom, the king himself would find out, and you would punish me."

George Lamsa Translation
And if I should have done it, then I would have been guilty; and nothing would have been hidden from the king, and you yourself would have stood against me.

Good News Translation
But if I had disobeyed the king and killed Absalom, the king would have heard about it—he hears about everything—and you would not have defended me."

Literal Translation
Or I would have dealt falsely against my soul. For no matter is hidden from the king, and you, you yourself would have set against me.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Or yf I had dyssembled vpon the ioperdy of myne owne soule (for so moch as nothinge shulde be hyd from ye kinge) thou thy selfe shuldest haue stode against me.

American Standard Version
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

Bible in Basic English
And if I had falsely put him to death (and nothing may be kept secret from the king), you would have had nothing to do with me.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer, if I had done it, I shoulde haue done against mine owne lyfe: for there is no matter hyd from the king, yea & thou thy selfe wouldest haue ben against me.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against mine own life--and there is no matter hid from the king--then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.'

King James Version (1611)
Otherwyse, I should haue wrought falshood against mine owne life: for there is no matter hid from the King, and thou thy selfe wouldest haue set thy selfe against me.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
so as to do no harm to his life: and nothing of the matter will be concealed from the king, and thou wilt set thyself against me.

English Revised Version
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life, (and there is no matter hid from the king,) then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.

Berean Standard Bible
If I had jeopardized my own life-and nothing is hidden from the king-you would have abandoned me."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But and if Y hadde do ayens my lijf hardili, this myyte not be hid fro the kyng, and thou woldist stonde on the contrarye side.

Young's Literal Translation
or I had done against my soul a vain thing, and no matter is hid from the king, and thou -- thou dost station thyself over-against.'

Update Bible Version
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against [me].

Webster's Bible Translation
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against my own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself against [me].

World English Bible
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against [me].

New King James Version
Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me."

New Living Translation
And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me."

New Life Bible
If I had gone against his life, there is nothing hidden from the king. And you would not have helped me."

New Revised Standard
On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Otherwise, had I dealt with my life falsely (and nothing can be hid from the king), then, thou thyself, wouldst have stood aloof.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?

Revised Standard Version
On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof."

Contextual Overview

⁹ Absalom was riding his mule under a huge tree when his head caught in the branches. The mule ran off and left Absalom hanging in midair. Some of David's soldiers happened by, ¹⁰ and one of them went and told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in a tree!" ¹¹ Joab said, "You saw Absalom? Why didn't you kill him? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a special belt." ¹² The man answered, "Even if you paid me a thousand pieces of silver here and now, I still wouldn't touch the king's son. We all heard King David tell you and Abishai and Ittai not to harm Absalom. ¹³ He always finds out what's going on. I would have been risking my life to kill Absalom, because you would have let me take the blame." ¹⁴ Joab said, "I'm not going to waste any more time on you!" Absalom was still alive, so Joab took three spears and stuck them through Absalom's chest. ¹⁵ Ten of Joab's bodyguards came over and finished him off. ¹⁶ Then Joab blew a trumpet to signal his troops to stop chasing Israel's soldiers. ¹⁷ They threw Absalom's body into a deep pit in the forest and put a big pile of rocks over it. Meanwhile, the people of Israel had all run back to their own homes. ¹⁸ When Absalom was alive, he had set up a stone monument for himself in King's Valley. He explained, "I don't have any sons to keep my name alive." He called it Absalom's Monument, and that is the name it still has today.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wrought: 2 Samuel 1:15, 2 Samuel 1:16, 2 Samuel 4:10-12

for there is no: 2 Samuel 14:19, 2 Samuel 14:20, Hebrews 4:13

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 28:9 - wherefore

Cross-References

John 2:25
No one had to tell him what people were like. He already knew.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life,.... Or "soul"; he should not only have exposed his life to danger, but acted falsely to the king, by going contrary to his orders; yea, would have done that which was contrary to his own conscience; and if he had buoyed himself up with the hope of impunity, or of a reward, he should have found himself mistaken; the textual reading is, "against his life" l, or "soul", the life of Absalom, by taking it away:

for there is no matter hid from the king; this, though done ever so secretly, would have come to his knowledge by some means or another, and then I should have incurred his displeasure, and suffered for it:

and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against [me]; to accuse and bring him to justice; he would have been so far from protecting him, that he would have been the first man that would have insisted on it that he should be punished for it; or why dost not thou thyself set thyself against him, and smite him? thou mayest if thou pleasest, yonder he hangs, go and smite him.

l בנפשו εν τη ψυχη αυτου, Sept. "contra animam illius", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The man gives a remarkable incidental testimony to David’s sagacity and penetration (compare 2 Samuel 14:19), and to Joab’s known unscrupulousness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 18:13. Thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. — This is a strong appeal to Joab's loyalty, and respect for the orders of David; but he was proof against every fine feeling, and against every generous sentiment.