2 Samuel 14:26 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.

Bible > 2 Samuel > Chapter 14 > Verse 26

◄ 2 Samuel 14:26 ►

New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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!

English Standard Version
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.

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.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
And 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
When he shaved the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it, for it was heavy on him so he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight.

Amplified Bible
When he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of each year he cut it, because its weight was heavy on him) he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight.

Christian Standard Bible
When he shaved his head—he shaved it at the end of every year because his hair got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off—he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds according to the royal standard.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When he shaved his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off—he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds according to the royal standard.

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.

Contemporary English Version
His hair grew so thick and heavy that when he got it cut once a year, it weighed over two kilograms.

English Revised Version
And when he polled his head, (now 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At the end of every year, he used to cut his hair because it became heavy for him. When he cut the hair on his head and weighed it, it weighed five pounds according to the royal standard.

Good News Translation
His hair was very thick, and he had to cut it once a year, when it grew too long and heavy. It would weigh about five pounds according to the royal standard of weights.

International Standard Version
Whenever he cut his hair —he cut it at the end of every year, because it grew thick on his head, which is why he cut it—his hair weighed in at 200 shekels measured by the royal standard.

Majority 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.

NET Bible
When he would shave his head--at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long and he would shave it--he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds according to the king's weight.

New Heart English Bible
When he cut the hair of his head – now it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it became too heavy, therefore he cut it – he weighed the hair of his head at one hundred shekels by the king's weight.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and in his shaving his head—and it has been at the end of year by year that he shaves [it], for it [is] heavy on him, and he has shaved it—he has even weighed out the hair of his head—two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And in his shaving his head (and it was from the end of days to days that he will shave, for it was heavy upon him;) and he shaved and weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the stone of the king.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he polled his hair (now he was polled once a year, because his hair was burdensome to him) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred sicles, according to the common weight.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when he shaved off his hair, for he shaved it off once a year, because his long hair was burdensome to him, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, by the public weights.

New American Bible
When he shaved his head—as he used to do at the end of every year, because his hair became too heavy for him—the hair weighed two hundred shekels according to the royal standard.

New Revised Standard Version
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.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And when he had his hair shorn (he used to cut it once a year because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), the hair of his head weighed two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And whenever his head was sheared, from time to time he was sheared because his hair was heavy on him, he was sheared for it and the hair of his head was weighed at two hundred shekels by the shekel of the King

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And when he polled his head--now 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And when he polled his head, (and it was at the beginning of every year that he polled it, because it grew, heavy upon him,) even when he polled it, he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels according to the royal shekel.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Absalom's Return to Jerusalem
…25Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw. 26And 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. 27Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 9:2
And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.

1 Kings 1:6
(His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

1 Kings 1:25
For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

1 Kings 1:52
And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

1 Kings 11:3
He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.

1 Kings 14:26
He seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made.

1 Kings 15:5
For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

1 Chronicles 3:2
the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith;

1 Chronicles 3:9
These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

1 Chronicles 28:5
And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

2 Samuel 18:18
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

2 Samuel 3:3
his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

2 Samuel 13:1
After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.

2 Samuel 13:21
When King David heard all this, he was furious.

2 Samuel 15:1
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.

Treasury of Scripture

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.

when he polled

2 Samuel 18:9
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.

Isaiah 3:24
And 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.

1 Corinthians 11:14
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

two hundred shekels.

Genesis 23:16
And 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.

Leviticus 19:36
Just 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.

Ezekiel 45:9-14
Thus 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…

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2 Samuel 14

1. Joab, suborning a widow of Tekoah to incline the king's heart to fetch Absalom,
21. brings him home to Jerusalem
25. Absalom's beauty, hair, and children
28. After two years, Absalom is brought into the king's presence by Joab

Berean Study Bible

And when he cut the hair of his head
The act of cutting hair in ancient Israelite culture often held significant meaning. Hair was considered a symbol of strength and vitality, as seen in the account of Samson. The Hebrew word for "cut" here is "גָּזַז" (gazaz), which implies a deliberate and careful action. Absalom's hair was not just a personal trait but a public display of his physical allure and charisma, which played into his later political ambitions.

he shaved it every year
The annual shaving of Absalom's hair suggests a ritualistic or customary practice. The Hebrew word "גָּלַח" (galach) for "shaved" indicates a complete removal, which could symbolize renewal or a fresh start. This practice might have been a personal tradition or a cultural norm, reflecting the importance of personal grooming and appearance in maintaining one's social status and influence.

because it grew so heavy for him
The phrase highlights the extraordinary nature of Absalom's hair. The Hebrew word "כָּבֵד" (kaved) for "heavy" can also mean "glorious" or "honorable," suggesting that his hair was not just physically burdensome but also a source of pride and admiration. This detail underscores Absalom's physical attractiveness and the potential vanity that accompanies such traits, foreshadowing his later actions driven by pride.

he would weigh it
Weighing the hair indicates a sense of pride and perhaps vanity. The act of weighing, using the Hebrew "שָׁקַל" (shakal), implies a careful assessment and valuation. This practice could reflect Absalom's desire to quantify and boast about his physical attributes, which were part of his charm and influence over the people.

and its weight was two hundred shekels
The specific mention of "two hundred shekels" provides a tangible measure of Absalom's hair, emphasizing its remarkable nature. A shekel was a standard unit of weight in ancient Israel, and this amount would be approximately five pounds or more, indicating an impressive and unusual feature. This detail serves to highlight Absalom's distinctiveness and the potential for such traits to lead to pride and downfall.

by the royal standard
The phrase "by the royal standard" suggests an official or recognized measure, indicating that Absalom's hair was not just a personal boast but acknowledged by the broader society. The use of a "royal standard" implies a connection to the monarchy and the societal structures of the time, hinting at Absalom's royal lineage and his ambitions for power. This connection to royalty foreshadows his later rebellion and quest for the throne, driven by his desire for recognition and authority.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Two hundred shekels.--The value of the shekel "after the king's weight" is unknown. If it was the same with the shekel of the sanctuary, the weight mentioned would be about six pounds; if only half as much, the weight would still be very extraordinary. Some clerical error has probably arisen in copying the number in the MSS.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 26. - Two hundred shekels after the king's weight. Unless the royal shekel was smaller than the shekel of the sanctuary, the weight of Absalom's hair would be six pounds. But we cannot believe that the king's shekel was not full weight; for to imagine this is to suppose that the king had tampered with the coinage; for the shekel was a coin as well as a weight, being originally a fixed quantity of silver. As a matter of fact, David had amassed too much silver to have need of resorting to what is the expedient of feeble and impoverished princes. Nor can we grant an error in the number; for the versions all agree with the Hebrew, so that any mistake must, at all events, be of great antiquity. Josephus says that Solomon's body guard wore long hair powdered with gold dust, and undoubtedly Absalom's hair was something extraordinary (2 Samuel 18:9). But six pounds is so enormous a weight that it is just possible that some ancient copyist has enlarged the number, to make it accord with a legend current among the people, in which this feature of Absalom's beauty had been exaggerated.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And when he cut the hair
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ (ū·ḇə·ḡal·lə·ḥōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1548: To be bald, to shave, to lay waste

of
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

his head—
רֹאשׁוֹ֒ (rō·šōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

he shaved
יְגַלֵּ֔חַ (yə·ḡal·lê·aḥ)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1548: To be bald, to shave, to lay waste

it every year
מִקֵּ֨ץ (miq·qêṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

his hair got so heavy—
כָבֵ֥ד (ḵā·ḇêḏ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

he would weigh
וְשָׁקַל֙ (wə·šā·qal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8254: To suspend, poise

[it]
שְׂעַ֣ר (śə·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8181: Hair

[to be] two hundred
מָאתַ֥יִם (mā·ṯa·yim)
Number - fd
Strong's 3967: A hundred

shekels
שְׁקָלִ֖ים (šə·qā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8255: A weight, a commercial standard

according to the royal
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

standard.
בְּאֶ֥בֶן (bə·’e·ḇen)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 68: A stone

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OT History: 2 Samuel 14:26 When he cut the hair of his (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)