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

2And David sent the people out, a third under the command of Joab, a third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will certainly go out with you also.” 3But the people said, “You should not go out; for if in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and 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 will be ready to help us from the city.” 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 thousands. 5But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom. 6Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place 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

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to them, “Whateverאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• seemsיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• to you I will doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• besideאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• besideיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• wentיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• by hundredsמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:4

• 2 Samuel 18:24Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself.
• Isaiah 28:6A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
• 2 Samuel 18:1Then David took a count of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
• 1 Samuel 29:2And the governors of the Philistines were proceeding on, leading hundreds and thousands, and David and his men were proceeding in the back with Achish.

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