2 Samuel 18 · Verse 13

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.
2 Samuel 18:13, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:13 in other translations

BSBIf I had jeopardized my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
WEBOtherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
ASVOtherwise 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.
YLTor 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.'
DARBYOr 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterOtherwise 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.

What does 2 Samuel 18:13 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

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 18:13 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.

אֽוֹ\־'o-orH176
עָשִׂ֤יתִי'a.Si.tiI had doneH6213
בְנַפְשִׁי֙ve.naf.shion life myH5315
שֶׁ֔קֶרShe.kerfalsehoodH8267
וְכָל\־ve.kholand anyH3605
דָּבָ֖רda.VarthingH1697
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יִכָּחֵ֣דyi.ka.Chedit is hiddenH3582
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
וְאַתָּ֖הve.'a.Tahand youH859
תִּתְיַצֵּ֥בtit.ya.Tzevyou will standH3320
מִנֶּֽגֶד\׃mi.Ne.gedfrom in frontH5048

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:13

  • 2 Samuel 14:19-20

    And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid: To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

  • Hebrews 4:13

    Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

  • 2 Samuel 1:15-16

    And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.

  • 2 Samuel 4:10-12

    When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish–bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wrought.
1:15,16; 4:10-12
for there is no.
14:19,20; Heb 4:13

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 2 Samuel 18:14

    Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Por otra parte, habría yo hecho traición contra mi vida (pues que al rey nada se le esconde), y tú mismo estarías en contra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
ou j’aurais agi perfidement contre ma vie, car rien n’est caché au roi, et toi, tu aurais pris parti contre moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Hätte ich aber trüglich gegen sein Leben gehandelt, -und es bleibt ja keine Sache vor dem König verborgen-so würdest du selbst wider mich auftreten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sed etsi fecissem contra animam meam audacter, nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset, et tu stares ex adverso?