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

24But the king said, “Absalom should return to his own house. He will not see me.” So Absalom returned to his house and didn’t see the king. 25Now, no one in all Israel was praised for his good looks as much as Absalom was. He had no blemish from head to toe. At the end of every year, he used to cut his hair because it became heavy for him. When he cut the hair on his head and weighed it, it weighed five pounds according to the royal standard. 27Absalom had three sons and one daughter. His daughter Tamar was a beautiful woman. 28Absalom stayed in Jerusalem two full years without seeing the king.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when he polledגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• for it was at every year’sיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• endקֵץqêts · endH7093
• was heavyכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• it:) he weighedשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
• the hairשֵׂעָרώê‛âr ώa‛ar · hairH8181
• at two hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• after the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• weightאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stone: weightH68

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:26

• 2 Samuel 18:9Absalom happened to come face to face with some of David’s men. He was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the tangled branches of a large tree. Absalom’s head became caught in the tree. So he was left hanging in midair when the mule that was under him ran away.
• Isaiah 3:24Instead of the smell of perfume, there will be the smell of decay. They will wear ropes instead of belts. They will have bald heads instead of beautiful hair. They will wear sackcloth instead of expensive clothes. Their beauty will be scarred.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Doesn’t nature itself teach you that it is disgraceful for a man to have long hair?
• Genesis 23:16Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms. So he weighed out for Ephron the amount stated in front of the Hittites: ten pounds of silver at the current merchants’ exchange rate.
• Leviticus 19:36Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt.
• Ezekiel 45:9“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’ve had enough of you, you princes of Israel. Stop your violence and looting, and do what is fair and right. Stop evicting my people, declares the Almighty Lord.

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