Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

New King James Version

2 Samuel 18:4

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.

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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
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 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 numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 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." 3 But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city." 4 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. 5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

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 I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."
Genesis 18:15
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"
Genesis 19:2
And he said, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will spend the night in the open square."
Genesis 24:32
Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
Genesis 43:24
So the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.
1 Samuel 25:41
Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
Luke 7:44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
1 Timothy 5:10
well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile