11 Joab said to the man who had told him this, ‘What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels[a] of silver and a warrior’s belt.’

12 But the man replied, ‘Even if a thousand shekels[b] were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, “Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.[c] 13 And if I had put my life in jeopardy[d] – and nothing is hidden from the king – you would have kept your distance from me.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 18:11 That is, about 115 grams
  2. 2 Samuel 18:12 That is, about 12 kilograms
  3. 2 Samuel 18:12 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts may be translated Absalom, whoever you may be.
  4. 2 Samuel 18:13 Or Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously towards him