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.
Parallel translations
- KJV 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.
- BSB “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.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB 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.
- NLT “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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David yields to their counsel and stands by the gate as the army marches out. He humbly accepts wise advice from his people.
Overview
The king submits to his men's persuasion, taking his post at the gate while the troops file past by hundreds and thousands. His willingness to defer shows humility and trust. God uses the counsel of faithful people to preserve His anointed, even as the army goes out to battle.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Sam 18:24Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
- Isa 28:6and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
- 1 Sam 29:2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
- 2 Sam 18:1David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 18:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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