2 Samuel 18:4

2 Samuel 18:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
• New International Version (NIV)The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:4

2Then David sent the army out, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will certainly go out [to fight] with you.” 3But the men said, “You should not go out [to battle with us]. For if in fact we retreat, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city [of Mahanaim].” Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate [of Mahanaim], and all the army went out in groups of hundreds and of thousands. 5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the men heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom. 6So the men went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.

2 Samuel 18:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־יִיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְכָל־הָעָם֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ לְמֵא֖וֹת וְלַאֲלָפִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, What seemethעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• you bestיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• I will doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• by the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• sideיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• and all the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• by hundredsמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and by thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:4

• 2 Samuel 18:24Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the lookout went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he raised his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.
• Isaiah 28:6A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment [administering the law], A strength to those who drive back the battle at the gate.
• 2 Samuel 18:1David numbered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
• 1 Samuel 29:2As the Philistine lords (governors) were proceeding on [marching] by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish [the king of Gath],

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:4

• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-42Sa 18:1-4. David Reviewing the Armies. 1-2. David numbered the people that were with him--The hardy mountaineers of Gilead came in great numbers at the call of their chieftains, so that, although without money to pay any troops, David soon found himself at the head of a considerable army. A pitched battle was now inevitable. But so much depending on the life of the king, he was not allowed to take the field in person; and he therefore divided his forces…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Charge
• David
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Bible, the
• Israel, History of
• Ittai
• Joab

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings