2 Samuel 18:13

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."

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."

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."

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.

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 Suddenly Absalom met some of David's men. Absalom was riding a mule, and as it went under a large oak tree, Absalom's head got caught in the branches. The mule ran on and Absalom was left hanging in midair. ¹⁰ One of David's men saw him and reported to Joab, "Sir, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!" ¹¹ Joab answered, "If you saw him, why didn't you kill him on the spot? I myself would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt." ¹² But the man answered, "Even if you gave me a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn't lift a finger against the king's son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake don't harm the young man Absalom.' ¹³ 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." ¹⁴ "I'm not going to waste any more time with you," Joab said. He took three spears and plunged them into Absalom's chest while he was still alive, hanging in the oak tree. ¹⁵ Then ten of Joab's soldiers closed in on Absalom and finished killing him. ¹⁶ Joab had the trumpet blown to stop the fighting, and his troops came back from pursuing the Israelites. ¹⁷ They took Absalom's body, threw it into a deep pit in the forest, and covered it with a huge pile of stones. All the Israelites fled to their own hometowns. ¹⁸ During his lifetime Absalom had built a monument for himself in King's Valley, because he had no son to keep his name alive. So he named it after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom's Monument.

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
There was no need for anyone to tell him about them, because he himself knew what was in their hearts.

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.