And when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- 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.
- BSB 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.
- 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.
- NLT He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Absalom's hair is so abundant he cuts it yearly, weighing about five pounds. The detail underscores his celebrated good looks and vanity.
Overview
The note about Absalom's heavy, prized hair reinforces the picture of his physical splendor. Ironically, this same hair will later entangle him in a tree and lead to his death (18:9). The detail thus quietly foreshadows judgment, reminding readers that the very things people glory in can become their undoing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ezek 44:20Neither shall they shave their heads, nor allow their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads.
- 1 Cor 11:14Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
- 2 Sam 18:9Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his 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 sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
- Gen 23:16Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
- Ezek 45:9–14Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness; dispossessing my people, says the Lord Yahweh.
- Isa 3:24It shall happen that instead of sweet spices, there shall be rottenness; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well set hair, baldness; instead of a robe, a wearing of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.
- Lev 19:36You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 14:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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