2 Samuel 18:4

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 went out by hundreds and by thousands.

JPS TaNaKH 1917

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

3But the people said: '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 thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.'

5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying: 'Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.' And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

Cross References

1 Samuel 29:2And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

2 Samuel 18:24Now David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 18:2-9

Preparations for Battle. ( b. c. 1023.) 1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 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. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 2 Samuel 18:4