שמואל ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״ג

Confronted by his commander, a soldier presents a powerful two-pronged defense—both moral and practical—to explain his refusal to strike down Absalom. He begins by arguing that if he had carried out the act, it would have been a profound betrayal [מצודת ציון]. Commentators note a dual layer of meaning in this moral defense, rooted in a subtle distinction between how the soldier's words are written and how they are traditionally spoken [מנחת שי]. On one level, taking the life of the prince would have been an act of severe injustice and falsehood directed against Absalom himself, directly violating the king's explicit orders [רד״ק]. On another level, the soldier recognizes that even a secret assassination would have been a crime against his own soul. Betraying the king's trust and rebelling against his command constitutes a deep internal sin that would ultimately destroy the soldier from within [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Moving beyond the moral implications, the soldier grounds his refusal in harsh reality. He points out that absolutely nothing can be kept hidden from the king [מצודת ציון]. A monarch grieving his son would undoubtedly launch a relentless investigation, ensuring that the identity of the killer would inevitably come to light [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Finally, the soldier turns the tables on Joab with a sharp accusation, declaring that the commander himself would simply stand by from a distance [מצודת ציון]. He exposes Joab's underlying hypocrisy, making it clear that once the king uncovered the truth, Joab would immediately deny any involvement. Instead of shielding his subordinate from the king's fury, Joab would wash his hands of all responsibility and abandon the soldier to suffer the fatal consequences completely alone [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].