King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…הָאִישׁ֙haishthe a certainאִישׁdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).יוֹאָ֔בyoavJoabיוֹאָבnoun, proper name — “Joab”H3097Joab, the name of three IsraelitesJoab.ולאvland ifלוּאconjunction, conjunction — “and if”H3863a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).וְל֨וּאveluand ifלוּאconjunction, conjunction — “and if”H3863a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).אָנֹכִ֜יanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.שֹׁקֵ֤לshoqelreceiveשָׁקַלverb, qal, participle, absolute — “receive”, a verb used as a describing wordH8254to suspend or poise (especially in trade)pay, receive(-r), spend, [idiom] throughly, weigh.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…כַּפַּי֙kapayhand , -dle,כַּףnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.אֶ֣לֶףelefthousandאֶלֶףadjective, cardinal, both genders, singular, absolute — “thousand”, the ordinary formH505hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandthousand.כֶּ֔סֶףkesefmoneyכֶּסֶףnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “money”, the ordinary formH3701silver (from its pale color); by implication, moneymoney, price, silver(-ling).לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אֶשְׁלַ֥חeshlachsendשָׁלַחverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “send”, an unfinished actionH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…יָדִ֖יyadihandיָדnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).בֶּןbensonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […הַמֶּ֑לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…בְאָזְנֵ֜ינוּveazeneynvin earאֹזֶןpreposition, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “in ear”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)[phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.צִוָּ֣הtsivahappointצָוָהverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “appoint”, a completed actionH6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoinappoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.הַמֶּ֗לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.אֹ֠תְךָotekhaobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֲבִישַׁ֤יavishayAbishaiאֲבִישַׁיnoun, proper name — “Abishai”H52Abishai, an IsraeliteAbishai.וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אִתַּי֙itayIthaiאִתַּיnoun, proper name — “Ithai”H863Ittai or Ithai, the name of a Gittite and of an IsraeliteIthai, Ittai.לֵאמֹ֔רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…שִׁמְרוּshimrvbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “beward”, a commandH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).מִ֕יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.בַּנַּ֖עַרbanaarin boyנַעַרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in boy”, the ordinary formH5288(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).בְּאַבְשָׁלֽוֹםbeavshalomin Abishalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Abishalom”H53Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later IsraeliteAbishalom, Absalom.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And 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.

Young’s Literal Translation

And 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;

World English Bible

The 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.’

Darby Translation

And 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.

Douay-Rheims

And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king’s son: for in our hearing he king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the man said to Joab, Were I even to receive a thousand shekels of silver, I would not lift my hand against the king's son; for in our ears the king charged thee and Abessa and Ethi, saying, Take care of the young man Abessalom for me,

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ πρὸς Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἵστημι ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖράς μου χιλίους σίκλους ἀργυρίου, οὐ μὴ ἐπιβάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως· ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἡμῶν ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεύς σοι καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐθὶ, λέγων, φυλάξατέ μοι τὸ παιδάριον τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ,