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.
And when he cut his hair (which he did at the end of every year because his hair grew so thick and heavy that it bothered him), the hair from his head weighed two hundred shekels by the king's standard of weight.
This verse describes how Absalom's hair was so incredibly thick and heavy that when he cut it once a year, it weighed about five pounds.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of 2 Samuel, Absalom was the son of King David, a prince known for his exceptional beauty and long hair, which symbolized his physical prowess and pride. This verse appears during a description of Absalom's return from exile, where his annual haircut is detailed to emphasize his vanity and the cultural importance of such traits in ancient Israelite society. Such details in the narrative serve to foreshadow Absalom's rebellion against his father and his ultimate downfall.
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