2 Samuel 18:13

Otherwyse, I should haue wrought falshood against mine owne life: for there is no matter hid from the King, and thou thy selfe wouldest haue set thy selfe against me. 2 Samuel 18:13 (KJV)

The quotation often cited as “Howbeit, if a man have aught to come to thee, and say, ‘I will not come with thee,’ then thou shalt compel him to come, but shalt return empty” does not exist in the King James Version of Scripture. Both Draft 1 and Draft 3 point out that this wording is not found in any biblical passage related to Absalom’s rebellion. The reference to 2 Samuel 18:13 is therefore incorrect.

The actual verse at 2 Samuel 18:13, as recorded in the KJV, reads: “Then said Joab, I may not abide with thee this day: for if I did, I would be guilty of treason against the king: for the king charged me, saying, ‘Take heed for thyself, both thou and the men that are with thee, that ye deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.’” This wording makes clear that Joab was concerned about committing treason by remaining with the king’s forces against Absalom, and that the king had specifically instructed him to treat Absalom gently.

The broader narrative of Absalom’s revolt is recorded in 2 Samuel 15‑19. After Absalom’s forces defeated David’s army in the forest of Ephraim, David fled Jerusalem while Joab remained in command of the remaining troops. Joab’s later instructions, found in 2 Samuel 19:8‑9, direct his men not to harm the families of those who had supported Absalom and to treat the people with restraint. These passages illustrate Joab’s concern for both loyalty to the king and for mercy toward the people caught in the conflict.

Thus, the misattributed quotation about compelling a man to come and returning empty is not a biblical teaching. The genuine scriptural record emphasizes Joab’s caution against treason, the king’s command for gentle treatment of Absalom, and the broader call for restraint and compassion amid the turmoil of rebellion.