Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 18:3
3“You must not go!” the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”
2 Samuel 18:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
- New International Version (NIV)But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the men said, "You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”
Context of 2 Samuel 18:3
1David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them. 2He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, “I must also march out with you.” “You must not go!” the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.” 4“I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
Read all of 2 Samuel 182 Samuel 18:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָעָ֜ם לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֗א כִּי֩ אִם־נֹ֨ס נָנ֜וּס לֹא־יָשִׂ֧ימוּ אֵלֵ֣ינוּ לֵ֗ב וְאִם־יָמֻ֤תוּ חֶצְיֵ֙נוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָשִׂ֤ימוּ אֵלֵ֙ינוּ֙ לֵ֔ב כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה כָמֹ֖נוּ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲלָפִ֑ים וְעַתָּ֣ה ט֔וֹב כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ מֵעִ֖יר לַעְזֽוֹר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
- answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Thou shalt not go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- for if we fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- they will not careלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- they will not careשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: considerH7760
- for us; neither if halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
- of us dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- worthכְּמוֹkemô kâmô · likeH3644
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- that thou succourעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
- us out of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:3
- 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”
- 2 Samuel 17:2I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king
- 1 Kings 22:31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.”
- Zechariah 13:7Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- Lamentations 4:20The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps. We had said about him, “We will live under his protection among the nations.”
- 2 Samuel 10:11“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you will be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come to help you.
- Exodus 17:10Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3But now thou art worth ten thousand of us - The particle יתה attah, now, is doubtless a mistake for the pronoun אתה attah, thou; and so it appears to have been read by the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Chaldee, and by two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Succour us out of the city - David, with a reserve, would hold the city, and either support the bands in case of need, or receive them within the walls should they be compelled to flee.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3you are worth ten thousand of us: David's men praised him, but their request for him to stay behind might actually suggest that David was becoming weaker (see 2 Samuel 21:15–17).Read the comment
- 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
Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:3
In the dictionaries
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
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