Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, August 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Bible in Basic English

2 Samuel 18:1

And David had the people who were with him numbered, and he put over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Captain;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Joab;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mahanaim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Samuel, Books of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   David;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Absalom (1);   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;   Army;   Captain;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them.
Hebrew Names Version
David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
King James Version
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.
Lexham English Bible
Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
English Standard Version
Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
New Century Version
David counted his men and placed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
New English Translation
David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.
Amplified Bible
David numbered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
New American Standard Bible
Then David took a count of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Dauid nombred the people that were with him, & set ouer them captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreths.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
Contemporary English Version
David divided his soldiers into groups of a hundred and groups of a thousand. Then he chose officers to be in command of each group.
Complete Jewish Bible
David took a census of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and of hundreds.
Darby Translation
And David marshalled the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Easy-to-Read Version
David counted his men and chose captains over 1000 and captains over 100 to lead them.
George Lamsa Translation
AND David numbered the people who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds.
Good News Translation
King David brought all his men together, divided them into units of a thousand and of a hundred, and placed officers in command of them.
Literal Translation
And David mustered the people who were with him, and he set over them commanders of hundreds.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid mustred the people yt was with him, and set captaynes ouer the, ouer thousandes and ouer hundreds.
American Standard Version
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaynes of thousandes and of hundredes ouer them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds ouer them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David numbered the people with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
English Revised Version
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Berean Standard Bible
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Dauid, whanne the puple `was biholdun, ordeynede tribunes and centuriouns on hem.
Young's Literal Translation
And David inspecteth the people who [are] with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,
Update Bible Version
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David numbered the people that [were] with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
World English Bible
David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
New King James Version
And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
New Living Translation
David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them.
New Life Bible
Then David numbered the people who were with him. He set over them leaders of thousands and of hundreds.
New Revised Standard
Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then David mustered the people that were with him, - and set over them, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds,
Revised Standard Version
Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
THE MESSAGE
David organized his forces. He appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. Then David deployed his troops, a third under Joab, a third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king then announced, "I'm marching with you."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

Contextual Overview

1 And David had the people who were with him numbered, and he put over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you. 3 But the people said, It is better for you not to go out: for if we are put to flight, they will not give a thought to us, and if death overtakes half of us, it will be nothing to them: but you are of more value than ten thousand of us: so it is better for you to be ready to come to our help from this town. 4 And the king said to them, I will do whatever seems best to you. So the king took his place by the door of the town, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the fight took place in the woods of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were overcome there by the servants of David, and there was a great destruction that day, and twenty thousand men were put to the sword. 8 And the fighting went on over all the face of the country: and the woods were responsible for more deaths than the sword.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

numbered: Exodus 17:9, Joshua 8:10

captains of thousands: 1 Samuel 8:12

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 18:4 - by hundreds

Cross-References

Genesis 12:7
And the Lord came to Abram, and said, I will give all this land to your seed; then Abram made an altar there to the Lord who had let himself be seen by him.
Genesis 15:1
After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Have no fear, Abram: I will keep you safe, and great will be your reward.
Genesis 17:22
And having said these words, God went up from Abraham.
Genesis 18:1
Now the Lord came to him by the holy tree of Mamre, when he was seated in the doorway of his tent in the middle of the day;
Genesis 18:3
And said, My Lord, if now I have grace in your eyes, do not go away from your servant:
Genesis 26:2
And the Lord came to him in a vision and said, Do not go down to Egypt; keep in the land of which I will give you knowledge:
Genesis 48:3
And Jacob said to Joseph, God, the Ruler of all, came to me in a vision at Luz in the land of Canaan, and gave me his blessing,
Exodus 4:1
And Moses, answering, said, It is certain that they will not have faith in me or give ear to my voice; for they will say, You have not seen the Lord.
2 Chronicles 1:7
In that night God came to Solomon in a vision, and said to him, Say what I am to give you.
Acts 7:2
And he said, My brothers and fathers, give hearing. The God of glory came to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was living in Haran,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David numbered the people that [were] with him,.... Which Josephus says d were four thousand; but one would think there should be more by what follows:

and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them; he divided his army into companies, which consisted some of a thousand and others of a hundred; over each of which he set captains, to lead them on, direct, and command them in battle.

d Antiqu. l. 7. c. 10. sect. 1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XVIII

David reviews and arranges the people, and gives the command

to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, 1, 2.

On his expressing a desire to accompany them to the battle,

they will not permit him, 3.

He reviews them as they go out of the city, and gives

commandment to the captains to save Absalom, 4, 5.

They join battle with Absalom and his army, who are discomfited

with the loss of twenty thousand men, 6-8.

Absalom, fleeing away, is caught by his head in an oak; Joab

finds him, and transfixes him with three darts, 9-15.

The servants of David are recalled, and Absalom buried, 16-18.

Ahimaaz and Cushi bring the tidings to David, who is greatly

distressed at hearing of the death of Absalom, and makes

bitter lamentation for him, 19-33.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse 2 Samuel 18:1. And set captains of thousands — By this time David's small company was greatly recruited; but what its number was we cannot tell. Josephus says it amounted to four thousand men. Others have supposed that they amounted to ten thousand; for thus they understand a clause in 2 Samuel 18:3, which they think should be read, We are now ten thousand strong.


 
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