2 Samuel 18:4
New International Version
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.

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.

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.

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.

King James Bible
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 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 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.

NASB 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.

NASB 1977
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.

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.

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.

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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Servants of David said to him: “We shall go out and we shall be quick to fight with them.” The King said to them: “Whatever is pleasing in your eyes, do.” and the King stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"I'll do what you think best," the king responded. So the king stood by the gate while all the troops marched out by battalions and regiments.

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.

International Standard Version
So David responded, "I'll do what you think best." Then he stood alongside the city gate as the army went out in battle array by hundreds and thousands.

JPS Tanakh 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.

Literal Standard Version
And the king says to them, “That which is good in your eyes I do”; and the king stands at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,

Majority 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.

New American Bible
The king said to them, “I will do what you think best.” So the king stood by the gate as all the soldiers marched out in units of a hundred and a thousand.

NET Bible
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.

New 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.

New Heart English Bible
The king said to them, "I will do what seems best to you." The king stood beside the gate, 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, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

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,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom Killed
3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.” 4“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. 5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:24
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.

2 Samuel 18:5
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake." And all the people heard the king's orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.


Treasury of Scripture

And the king said to them, What seems you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

by the gate

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

Isaiah 28:6
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

2 Samuel 18:1
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

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

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2 Samuel 18
1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom














(4) What seemeth you best.--David was nothing loth to avoid the personal encounter with his son, and readily yielded, He, however, encouraged the troops by reviewing them as they passed out, and improved the opportunity to give his generals special and public charge concerning Absalom. He speaks of him tenderly as "the young man" (2Samuel 18:5; comp. 2Samuel 18:29; 2Samuel 18:32), to imply that his sin was a youthful indiscretion.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“I will do
אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה (’e·‘ĕ·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

whatever
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

seems best
יִיטַ֥ב (yî·ṭaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

to you,”
בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם (bə·‘ê·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

the king
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

replied.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

So he
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

stood
וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד (way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

beside
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the gate,
הַשַּׁ֔עַר (haš·ša·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

while all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the troops
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

marched out
יָֽצְא֔וּ (yā·ṣə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

by hundreds
לְמֵא֖וֹת (lə·mê·’ō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

and thousands.
וְלַאֲלָפִֽים׃ (wə·la·’ă·lā·p̄îm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Number - masculine plural
Strong's 505: A thousand


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OT History: 2 Samuel 18:4 The king said to them What seems (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:3
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