2 Samuel 18:13

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."

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.

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?

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 And Ab'salom chanced to meet the servants of David. Ab'salom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. ¹⁰ And a certain man saw it, and told Jo'ab, "Behold, I saw Ab'salom hanging in an oak." ¹¹ Jo'ab said to the man who told him, "What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a girdle." ¹² 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.' ¹³ 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." ¹⁴ Jo'ab said, "I will not waste time like this with you." And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Ab'salom, while he was still alive in the oak. ¹⁵ And ten young men, Jo'ab's armor-bearers, surrounded Ab'salom and struck him, and killed him. ¹⁶ Then Jo'ab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel; for Jo'ab restrained them. ¹⁷ And they took Ab'salom, and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his own home. ¹⁸ Now Ab'salom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar 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 it is called Ab'salom's monument to this day.

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
because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.

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.