2 Samuel 18:12

New King James Version

But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!' [fn]

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’

Hebrew Names Version
The man said to Yo'av, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, I still wouldn't put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Avishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Avshalom.

King James Version
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

Lexham English Bible
The man said to Joab, "Even if I felt the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my palms, I would not have sent my hand against the son of the king, for in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Whoever you may be, protect the young man Absalom.'

English Standard Version
But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.'

New Century Version
The man answered, "I wouldn't touch the king's son even if you gave me twenty-five pounds of silver. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.'

New English Translation
The man replied to Joab, "Even if I were receiving a thousand pieces of silver, I would not strike the king's son! In our very presence the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.'

Amplified Bible
The man told Joab, "Even if I were to feel the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I would not put out my hand against the king's son; for we all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Protect the young man Absalom, for my sake.'

New American Standard Bible
But the man said to Joab, "Even if I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Protect the young man Absalom for me!'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousande shekels of siluer in mine hande, yet woulde I not lay mine hande vpon the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware, least any touche the yong man Absalom.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the man said to Joab, "Even if I should receive one thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not send forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the young man Absalom!'

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
The man replied to Yo'av, "Even if I were to get a thousand pieces of silver, I still wouldn't raise my hand against the son of the king! After all, while we were listening, the king ordered you, Avishai and Ittai, ‘Be careful that no one touches young Avshalom.'

Darby Translation
And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silver pieces in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care, whoever it be [of you], of the young man Absalom.

Easy-to-Read Version
The man said to Joab, "I would not try to hurt the king's son even if you gave me 1000 pieces of silver. We heard the king's command to you, Abishai, and Ittai. The king said, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.'

George Lamsa Translation
And the man said to Joab, Though you should count to me a thousand shekels of silver, I would not put forth my hand against the kings son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Be careful not to harm the young man Absalom for my sake.

Good News Translation
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.'

Literal Translation
And the man said to Joab, Yes, though I weighed a thousand silverlings in my hand, I would not put forth my hand to the king's son. For in our ears the king commanded you, and Abishai, and Ittai saying, Take heed, whoever goes against theyoung man, against Absalom.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The man sayde vnto Ioab: Yf thou haddest weyed me a thousande syluerlynges in my handes, yet wolde I not haue layed my handes on the kynges sonne. For the kynge commaunded the and Abisai and Ithai before oure eares, and sayde: Kepe me the yonge man Absalom.

American Standard Version
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

Bible in Basic English
And the man said to Joab, Even if you gave me a thousand bits of silver, I would not put out my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king gave orders to you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care that the young man Absalom is not touched.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The man sayd vnto Ioab: Though I should receaue a thousande sicles of siluer in myne hande, yet woulde I not stretche out myne hand against ye kinges sonne: For we heard with our eares when the king charged thee, & Abisai, and Ithai, saying: Beware that none touche the young man Absalom.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the man said unto Joab: 'Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying: Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

King James Version (1611)
And the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousand shekels of siluer in mine hand, yet would I not put foorth mine hand against the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the yong man Absalom.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the man said to Joab, Were I even to receive a thousand shekels of silver, I would not lift my hand against the king’s son; for in our ears the king charged thee and Abessa and Ethi, saying, Take care of the young man Abessalom for me,

English Revised Version
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

Berean Standard Bible
The man replied, "Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to Joab, Thouy thou paiedist in myn hondis a thousynde platis of siluer, Y nolde sende myn hond in to the sone of the king; for the while we herden, the kyng comaundide to thee, and to Abisai, and to Ethai, and seide, Kepe ye to me the child Absolon.

Young's Literal Translation
And the man saith unto Joab, `Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who [is] against the youth -- against Absalom;

Update Bible Version
And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Watch out for whoever is against the young man Absalom.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [shekels] of silver in my hand, [yet] would I not put forth my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none [touch] the young man Absalom.

World English Bible
The man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, I still wouldn't put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

New Living Translation
"I would not kill the king's son for even a thousand pieces of silver," the man replied to Joab. "We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.'

New Life Bible
The man said to Joab, "Even for a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not go against the king's son. For we heard the king tell you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Keep the young man Absalom safe for me.'

New Revised Standard
But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying: For my sake protect the young man Absalom!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the man said unto Joab, Though I were weighing upon my palm a thousand pieces of silver, yet would I not put forth my hand against the son of the king, - for, in our hearing, the king Charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Watch any man who would touch the young man Absolom.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king’s son for in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.

Revised Standard Version
But the man said to Jo'ab, "Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abi'shai and It'tai, 'For my sake protect the young man Ab'salom.'

THE MESSAGE
The man told Joab, "Even if I'd had a chance at a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn't have laid a hand on the king's son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, protect the young man Absalom.' Why, I'd be risking my life, for nothing is hidden from the king. And you would have just stood there!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The man said to Joab, "Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Protect for me the young man Absalom!'

Contextual Overview

⁹ Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. ¹⁰ Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!" ¹¹ So Joab said to the man who told him, "You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt." ¹² But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!' [fn] ¹³ 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." ¹⁴ Then Joab said, "I cannot linger with you." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. ¹⁵ And ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. ¹⁶ So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. ¹⁷ And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. ¹⁸ Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

receive: etc. Heb. weigh upon mine hand

in our hearing: 2 Samuel 18:5

Beware: etc. Heb. Beware, whosoever ye be, of the, etc

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:1 - General 2 Samuel 20:6 - Abishai 1 Kings 2:5 - Joab Psalms 55:20 - put

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"

Genesis 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes."

Genesis 18:7
And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.

Genesis 18:11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. [fn]

Genesis 18:12
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

Genesis 18:13
And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, "Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'

Genesis 18:18
since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Genesis 18:20
And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,

Psalms 126:2
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

Ephesians 5:33
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the man said unto Joab,.... Disdaining his proposal:

though I should receive a thousand [shekels] of silver in mine hand; or such a sum should be offered to me; the Arabic version is a million;

[yet] would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; to smite him, and slay him:

for in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai; his three generals:

saying, beware that none [touch] the young man Absalom; so as to slay him; they were charged to abstain from it themselves, and to watch and observe others, and keep them from doing it.