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 I would have been deceiving myself and risking my own life, because nothing is hidden from the king, and you yourself would have turned against me.
This soldier is saying he can't lie or act dishonestly because the king finds out everything, and even his commander would abandon him if he did wrong.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical account of 2 Samuel, King David is dealing with the rebellion of his son Absalom, who has raised an army to overthrow him and seize the throne. During the ensuing battle, Absalom is caught hanging in a tree by his hair, and David had given strict orders to his commanders not to harm his son. In 2 Samuel 18:13, a soldier explains to Joab that he avoided killing Absalom because he knew the king would inevitably discover any act of disobedience and hold him personally accountable.
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