2 Samuel 18:13 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Either, first, I should have been guilty of false and perfidious dealing against the king's express injunction, and that with the manifest hazard of my own life. Or, secondly I should have betrayed my own life. I should not only have deceived myself with false hopes, either of concealing my fact from the king, or of obtaining a reward, yea, or a pardon, from him or thee for it; but also have destroyed myself thereby, and laid a plot against my own life. There is no matter hid from the king; this, as all other things, would certainly come to the king's ear. Thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me; thou wouldst have been my adversary and accuser; partly because it was thy duty to be so; and partly to vindicate thyself by casting the blame upon another. Or, thou wouldst have stood afar off, as this phrase is used, Psalms 38:11. Thou wouldst not have stood to me to intercede for my life or reward, but wouldst keep at a distance from me.