2 Samuel 18 · Verse 12

2 Samuel 18:12

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.
2 Samuel 18:12, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:12 in other translations

BSBThe man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
WEBThe man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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;
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 2 Samuel 18:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 18:11-12

11-12. Joab said unto the man that told him, ... I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle--that is, would have raised him from the ranks to the status of a commissioned officer. Besides a sum of money, a girdle, curiously and richly wrought, was among the ancient Hebrews a mark of honor, and sometimes bestowed as a reward of military merit. This soldier, however, who may be taken as a fair sample…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:11-12 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:9-18

Let young people look upon Absalom, hanging on a tree, accursed, forsaken of heaven and earth; there let them read the Lord's abhorrence of rebellion against parents. Nothing can preserve men from misery and contempt, but heavenly wisdom and the grace of God.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:9-18 →

2 Samuel 18:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הָאִישׁ֙ha.'Ishthe manH376
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יוֹאָ֔בyo.'AvJoabH3097
וְל֨וּאve.lo'and ifH3863
אָנֹכִ֜י'a.no.KhiIH595
שֹׁקֵ֤לsho.Kel[were] weighingH8254
עַל\־'al-onH5921
כַּפַּי֙ka.Paihands myH3709
אֶ֣לֶף'E.lefa thousandH505
כֶּ֔סֶףKe.sefsilverH3701
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
אֶשְׁלַ֥ח'esh.LachI will stretch outH7971
יָדִ֖יya.Dihand myH3027
אֶל\־'el-againstH413
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
בְאָזְנֵ֜ינוּve.'a.ze.Nei.nuin ears ourH241
צִוָּ֣הtzi.Vahhe commandedH6680
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֹ֠תְךָ'O.te.kha<obj.> youH853
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אֲבִישַׁ֤י'a.vi.ShaiAbishaiH52
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אִתַּי֙'i.TaiIttaiH863
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
שִׁמְרוּ\־shim.ru-protectH8104
מִ֕יmiwhoeverH4310
בַּנַּ֖עַרba.Na.'ar<in> the young manH5288
בְּאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם\׃be.'av.sha.Lom<in> AbsalomH53

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:12

  • 2 Samuel 18:5

    And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
receive, etc. Heb. weigh upon mine hand. in our hearing.
5
Beware, etc. Heb. Beware, whosoever ye be, of the, etc.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 18:11

    And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

  • 2 Samuel 18:12

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 18:13

    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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y el hombre dijo á Joab: Aunque me importara en mis manos mil siclos de plata, no extendiera yo mi mano contra el hijo del rey; porque nosotros lo oímos cuando el rey te mandó á ti y á Abisai y á Ittai, diciendo: Mirad que ninguno toque en el joven Absalom.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et l’homme dit à Joab: Et quand je pèserais dans ma main 1 000 pièces d’argent, je n’étendrais pas ma main sur le fils du roi; car à nos oreilles le roi t’a commandé, à toi, et à Abishaï, et à Itthaï, disant: Prenez garde, qui de vous que ce soit, au jeune homme Absalom;…
German
Elberfelder 1871
Aber der Mann sprach zu Joab: Und wenn ich tausend Sekel Silber auf meinen Händen wöge, würde ich meine Hand nicht nach des Königs Sohn ausstrecken; denn vor unseren Ohren hat der König dir und Abisai und Ittai geboten und gesagt: Seid vorsichtig, wer es auch sei, mit dem Jüngling mit Absalom!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui dixit ad Joab: Si appenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos, nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis: audientibus enim nobis præcepit rex tibi, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Custodite mihi puerum Absalom.