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.

Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me .

Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?

Or I should have acted falsely against mine own life, for there is no matter concealed from the king, and thou wouldest have set thyself against me.

Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life, (and there is no matter hid from the king,) then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.

Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against my own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself against me.

or I had done against my soul a vain thing, and no matter is hid from the king, and thou, thou dost station thyself over-against.'

Otherwise I should have worked falsehood against my own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.

And if I had falsely put him to death (and nothing may be kept secret from the king), you would have had nothing to do with me.

Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against mine own life-and there is no matter hid from the king-then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.'

Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?"

The man gives a remarkable incidental testimony to David's sagacity and penetration (compare 2-Samuel 14:19), and to Joab's known unscrupulousness.

Thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me - This is a strong appeal to Joab's loyalty, and respect for the orders of David; but he was proof against every fine feeling, and against every generous sentiment.

Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life,.... Or "soul"; he should not only have exposed his life to danger, but acted falsely to the king, by going contrary to his orders; yea, would have done that which was contrary to his own conscience; and if he had buoyed himself up with the hope of impunity, or of a reward, he should have found himself mistaken; the textual reading is, "against his life" (l), or "soul", the life of Absalom, by taking it away:
for there is no matter hid from the king; this, though done ever so secretly, would have come to his knowledge by some means or another, and then I should have incurred his displeasure, and suffered for it:
and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me; to accuse and bring him to justice; he would have been so far from protecting him, that he would have been the first man that would have insisted on it that he should be punished for it; or why dost not thou thyself set thyself against him, and smite him? thou mayest if thou pleasest, yonder he hangs, go and smite him.
(l) , Sept. "contra animam illius", Piscator.