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

2 Samuel 18:4

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Gates;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Joab;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mahanaim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - 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 - Ittai;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“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.
Hebrew Names Version
The king said to them, What seems you best I will do. The king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
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.
Lexham English Bible
The king said to them, "I will do what seems good in your eyes." So the king stood at the side of the gate while all of the troops went out by hundreds and by thousands.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The king said to his people, "I will do what you think is best." So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out in groups of a hundred and a thousand.
New English Translation
Then the king said to them, "I will do whatever seems best to you." So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
Amplified Bible
Then the king said to them, "I will do whatever seems best to you." So the king stood beside the gate [of Mahanaim], and all the army went out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.
New American Standard Bible
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the King said vnto them, What seemeth you best, that I will doe. So the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thousands.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said to them, "Whatever is good in your sight I will do." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.
Contemporary English Version
David said, "All right, if you think I should." Then in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he said, "Joab! Abishai! Ittai! For my sake, be sure that Absalom comes back unharmed." David stood beside the town gate as his army marched past in groups of a hundred and in groups of a thousand. The war with Israel took place in Ephraim Forest.
Complete Jewish Bible
The king answered them, "I will do whatever you think best." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Darby Translation
And the king said to them, I will do what is good in your sight. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
Easy-to-Read Version
The king said to them, "I will do what you think is best." Then the king stood by the gate as the army went out in groups of 100 and 1000.
George Lamsa Translation
And the servants of David said to him, We will go forth quickly to fight against them. And the king said to them, Whatever seems good to you, do it. Then the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Good News Translation
"I will do whatever you think best," the king answered. Then he stood by the side of the gate as his men marched out in units of a thousand and of a hundred.
Literal Translation
And the king said to them, I will do that which is good in your eyes. And the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The kynge sayde: Loke what ye are content withall, that wyl I do. And the kynge stode in the gate, and all the people wente forth by hundreds and by thousandes.
American Standard 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 went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king sayde vnto them: What seemeth you best, that wil I do. And the king stoode by the gate syde, and all the people came out by hundredes, and by thousandes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
And the King sayde vnto them, What seemeth you best, I will doe. And the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds, and by thousands.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said to them, Whatsoever shall seem good in your eyes I will do. And the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
English Revised 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 went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Berean Standard Bible
"I will do whatever seems best to you," the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
`To whiche the kyng seide, Y schal do this, that semeth riytful to you. Therfor the kyng stood bisidis the yate, and the puple yede out bi her cumpenyes, bi hundridis and bi thousyndis.
Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith unto them, `That which is good in your eyes I do;' and the king standeth at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,
Update Bible Version
And the king said to them, What seems best to you I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said to them, What seemeth to you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
World English Bible
The king said to them, What seems you best I will do. The king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
"If you think that's the best plan, I'll do it," the king answered. So he stood alongside the gate of the town as all the troops marched out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.
New Life Bible
The king said to them, "I will do whatever you think is best." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.
New Revised Standard
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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the king said unto them, Whatever is best in your eyes, I will do. And the king stood beside the gate, while, all the people, came out by hundreds and by thousands.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.
Revised Standard Version
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.
THE MESSAGE
"If you say so," said the king. "I'll do what you think is best." And so he stood beside the city gate as the whole army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

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

by the gate: 2 Samuel 18:24, Isaiah 28:6

by hundreds: David's small company, by this time, was greatly recruited; but what its number was we cannot tell. Josephus says it amounted only to 4,000 men. 2 Samuel 18:1, 1 Samuel 29:2

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:8 - sat in the gate 1 Chronicles 19:9 - put the battle Matthew 16:18 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 18:5
And let me get a bit of bread to keep up your strength, and after that you may go on your way: for this is why you have come to your servant. And they said, Let it be so.
Genesis 18:15
Then Sarah said, I was not laughing; for she was full of fear. And he said, No, but you were laughing.
Genesis 19:2
And he said, My masters, come now into your servant's house and take your rest there for the night, and let your feet be washed; and early in the morning you may go on your way. And they said, Not so, but we will take our night's rest in the street.
Genesis 24:32
Then the man came into the house, and Laban took their cords off the camels and gave them dry grass and food, and he gave to him and the men who were with him water for washing their feet.
Genesis 43:24
And the servant took them into Joseph's house, and gave them water for washing their feet; and he gave their asses food.
1 Samuel 25:41
And she got up, and going down on her face to the earth, said, See, I am ready to be a servant-girl, washing the feet of the servants of my lord.
Luke 7:44
And turning to the woman he said to Simon, You see this woman? I came into your house; you did not give me water for my feet: but she has been washing my feet with the drops from her eyes, and drying them with her hair.
1 Timothy 5:10
And if witness is given of her good works; if she has had the care of children, if she has been kind to travellers, washing the feet of the saints, helping those who are in trouble, giving herself to good works.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king said unto them, what seemeth you best I will do,.... Which was an instance of great condescension in him; and it was his wisdom and prudence to yield to them at such a time as this, and especially as their sentiments were founded on affection and loyalty to him:

and the king stood by the gate side; of the city of Mahanaim:

and all the people came out by hundreds, and by thousands; and passed by him, to whom no doubt he gave his blessing and best wishes; and, as Abarbinel thinks, now it was he composed and said the twentieth psalm, "The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble", &c. Psalms 20:1.


 
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