2 Samuel 14:26

2 Samuel 14:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.
• New International Version (NIV)Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard.

Context of 2 Samuel 14:26

24And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. And Absalom withdrew to his own house, and saw not the king's face. 25But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he shaved his head (for it was at every year's end that he shaved it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight. 27And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful countenance. 28So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king's face.

2 Samuel 14:26 word by word

וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֒ וְֽ֠הָיָה מִקֵּ֨ץ יָמִ֤ים׀ לַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְגַלֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו וְגִלְּח֑וֹ וְשָׁקַל֙ אֶת־שְׂעַ֣ר רֹאשׁ֔וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם שְׁקָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥בֶן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

• shavedגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• wasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• endקֵץqêts · endH7093
• heavyכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• weighedשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
• hairשֵׂעָרώê‛âr ώa‛ar · hairH8181
• twoמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• weightאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stone: weightH68

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:26

• 2 Samuel 18:9And Absalom found himself in the presence of David's servants. And Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of the great terebinth, and his head caught in the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
• Isaiah 3:24And it shall come to pass, instead of perfume there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a robe of display, a girding of sackcloth; brand instead of beauty.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Does not even nature itself teach you, that man, if he have long hair, it is a dishonour to him?
• Genesis 23:16And Abraham hearkened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the money that he had named in the ears of the sons of Heth — four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant.
• Leviticus 19:36just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
• Ezekiel 45:9Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel! Put away violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice; take off your exactions from my people, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26When he polled his head - Not at any particular period, but when the hair became too heavy for him. On this account of the extraordinary weight of Absalom's hair, see the observations at the end of this chapter, 2 Samuel 14:30; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Two hundred shekels … - The exact weight cannot be determined. If these “shekels after the king‘s weight” were the same as “shekels of the sanctuary,” the weight would be about 6 lbs., which is incredible; “twenty” shekels is more probable.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-27Verses 25-27 Nothing is said of Absalom's wisdom and piety. All here said of him is, that he was very handsome. A poor commendation for a man that had nothing else in him valuable. Many a polluted, deformed soul dwells in a fair and comely body. And we read that he had a very fine head of hair. It was a burden to him, but he would not cut it as long as he could bear the weight. That which feeds and gratifies pride, is not complained of, though uneasy. May…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26he shaved it every year: Absalom's hair, which made him attractive, became a deadly trap for him (see 2 Samuel 18:9–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-2625-26. But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty--This extraordinary popularity arose not only from his high spirit and courtly manners, but from his uncommonly handsome appearance. One distinguishing feature, seemingly an object of great admiration, was a profusion of beautiful hair. Its extraordinary luxuriance compelled him to cut it "at every year's end;" lit., "at times," "from time to time," when it was found…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 14:26

• Shekel

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• Comfortable
• David
• Discern
• Feign
• Hair
• Heart
• Poll
• Respect
• Thank

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings