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

24However the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face. 25Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. When he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight. 27To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance. 28Now Absalom lived 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

• cutגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• the hair of his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• and it was at the endקֵץqêts · endH7093
• of every yearיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• for it was heavyכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
• it), he weighedשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
• the hairשֵׂעָרώê‛âr ώa‛ar · hairH8181
• at 200מֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• by the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• weightאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stone: weightH68

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:26

• 2 Samuel 18:9Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.
• Isaiah 3:24Now it will come about that instead of sweet perfume there will be putrefaction; Instead of a belt, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, a plucked-out scalp; Instead of fine clothes, a donning of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,
• Genesis 23:16Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.
• Leviticus 19:36You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.
• Ezekiel 45:9‘Thus says the Lord God, “Enough, you princes of Israel; put away violence and destruction, and practice justice and righteousness. Stop your expropriations from My people,” declares the Lord God.

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