KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
2 Samuel 14:26
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard.
WEB World English Bible
When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.
ASV American Standard Version
And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
and in his polling his head—and it hath been at the end of year by year that he polleth it, for it is heavy on him, and he hath polled it—he hath even weighed out the hair of his head—two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.
Surrounding context — 2 Samuel 14
23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
25 But 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.
26 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.
27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name [was] Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face.
29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮H1548 · ga.lachto shaveאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]רֹאשׁוֹ֒H7218 · roshheadוְֽ֠הָיָהH1961 · ha.yahto beמִקֵּ֨ץH7093 · qetsendיָמִ֤ים׀H3117 · yomdayלַיָּמִים֙H3117 · yomdayאֲשֶׁ֣רH834 · a.sherwhichיְגַלֵּ֔חַH1548 · ga.lachto shaveכִּֽי־H3588 · kiforכָבֵ֥דH3515 · ka.vedheavyעָלָ֖יוH5921 · aluponוְגִלְּח֑וֹH1548 · ga.lachto shaveוְשָׁקַל֙H8254 · sha.qalto weighאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]שְׂעַ֣רH8181 · se.arhairרֹאשׁ֔וֹH7218 · roshheadמָאתַ֥יִםH3967 · me.ahhundredשְׁקָלִ֖יםH8255 · she.qelshekelבְּאֶ֥בֶןH68 · e.venstoneהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃H4428 · me.lekhking
Cross-references
Ezekiel 44:20Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.2 Samuel 18:9And 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.1 Corinthians 11:14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?Isaiah 3:24And it shall come to pass, [that] instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; [and] burning instead of beauty.Ezekiel 45:9-14Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.Leviticus 19:36Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.Genesis 23:16And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on 2 Samuel 14:26
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →