2 Samuel 18:13

13 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."

2 Samuel 18:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:13

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" ^F12, 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wvpnb) (en th quch autou) , Sept. "contra animam illius", Piscator.

2 Samuel 18:13 In-Context

11 Joab answered, "If you saw him, why didn't you kill him on the spot? I myself would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt."

12 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.'

13 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."

14 "I'm not going to waste any more time with you," Joab said. He took three spears and plunged them into Absalom's chest while he was still alive, hanging in the oak tree.

15 Then ten of Joab's soldiers closed in on Absalom and finished killing him.