2 Samuel 18:2

2 Samuel 18:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
• New International Version (NIV)David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, "I myself will also go out with you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”

Context of 2 Samuel 18:2

1David brought together all the men who were with him. He chose some officers to lead groups of 1,000 soldiers, and some to lead groups of 100 soldiers. David sent his army out in three groups. Joab led one group. Joab's brother Abishai, Zeruiah's son, led another group. Ittai from Gath led the third group. The king said to them all, ‘I myself will go with you into battle.’ 3But the men replied, ‘No, you must not go with us. If we have to run away quickly, it will not matter to Absalom's men. Even if they kill half of our soldiers, it will not seem important to them. What they really want is to kill you. You are worth 10,000 of us. You must stay here in the city. Then you can send help to us if we need it.’ 4The king said to them, ‘I will do whatever you think is good.’ So he stood beside the gate of the city while his army marched out. They marched out in their groups of hundreds and of thousands.

2 Samuel 18:2 word by word

וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־יוֹאָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת בְּיַ֖ד אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• sent forthשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• a third partשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• of the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• under the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• of Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
• brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• of Ittaiאִתַּי'ittay 'îythay · IttaiH863
• the Gittiteגִּתִּיgittîy · GittiteH1663
• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will surelyיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• with you myselfאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:2

• Judges 7:16He divided his 300 men into three separate groups. He gave a trumpet and an empty pot to each soldier. Each man put a burning branch into his pot.
• Judges 9:43He took his men with him. He made them hide in three groups in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men attacked them.
• 2 Samuel 10:7David heard news about this. So he sent Joab with all the soldiers in his army to fight against them.
• 2 Samuel 15:19Then the king asked Ittai, who came from Gath, ‘Why are you coming with us? Go back into the city and join with Absalom, the new king. You have come from another country and you live here as a foreigner.
• 2 Samuel 17:11This is my advice to you. Bring together all the soldiers in Israel. Tell them to come from everywhere in the land, from Dan to Beersheba. There will be as many of them as the sand on the shore of the sea. Then you yourself should lead the whole army into the battle.
• Psalms 3:6Even if 10,000 enemies are all around me to attack me, I will not be afraid of them.
• Psalms 27:1The Lord gives me light in my life and he makes me safe. So I am not afraid of anyone! The Lord takes care of my life. Nobody can make me afraid!
• Psalms 118:6The Lord is there to help me, so I will not be afraid. What can any person do to hurt me?

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A third part - This seems to have been a favorite division with the Hebrew commanders (see Judges 7:16; Judges 9:43; 1 Samuel 11:11; 2 Kings 11:5-6) and with the Philistines also 1 Samuel 13:17.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 18:2

• Abishai
• Armies
• Ittai

In the dictionaries

• David
• Gittite
• Joab
• Gath, Gittite
• Abishai
• Charge
• Ittai
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise

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