2 Samuel 18:11
9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
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.
13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
- KJV
- And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
- WEB
- Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
- ASV
- And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces of] silver, and a girdle.
- DARBY
- And Joab said to the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest [him], and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten silver pieces and a girdle.
- BLB
- And Joab said to the man who told him, “And behold, you saw [him], and why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given to you ten [shekels] of silver and one belt.”
- ÅB
- Da sa Joab til mannen som meldte ham dette: Men når du har sett det, hvorfor slo du ham da ikke til jorden med det samme? Så hadde det vært min skyldighet å gi deg ti sekel sølv og et belte.
- OTB
- Da sa Joab til mannen som hadde fortalt ham det: "Du så ham! Hvorfor slo du ham ikke da til jorden? Jeg ville ha gitt deg ti sølvstykker og et belte."
- B1930
- Da sa Joab til mannen som meldte ham dette: Men når du har sett det, hvorfor slo du ham da ikke til jorden med det samme? Så hadde det vært min skyldighet å gi dig ti sekel sølv og et belte.