2 Samuel 10:12

King James Version

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

Hebrew Names Version
Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seems him good.

Lexham English Bible
Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves for the sake of the people and for the sake of the cities of our God. May Yahweh do what is good in his eyes.

English Standard Version
Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him."

New Century Version
Be strong. We must fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he thinks is right."

New English Translation
Be strong! Let's fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!"

Amplified Bible
"Be courageous, and let us show ourselves courageous for the benefit of our people and the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

New American Standard Bible
"Be strong, and let's show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Be strong & let vs be valiant for our people, & for the cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes.

Legacy Standard Bible
Be strong, and let us show strength for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what is good in His sight."

Contemporary English Version
Be brave and fight hard to protect our people and the cities of our God. I pray that the Lord will do whatever pleases him."

Complete Jewish Bible
Take courage, and let's be strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May Adonai do what seems good to him."

Darby Translation
Be strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people and for the cities of our God; and Jehovah do what is good in his sight.

Easy-to-Read Version
Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he decides is right."

George Lamsa Translation
Be of good courage, and let us fight for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God: and the LORD will do what is good in his sight.

Good News Translation
Be strong and courageous! Let's fight hard for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord 's will be done!"

Literal Translation
Be strong, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God. And may Jehovah do that which seems good in His eyes.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Take a good corage vnto the, and let vs be stronge for oure people, and for ye cite of oure God: neuertheles the LORDE do what pleaseth him.

American Standard Version
Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good.

Bible in Basic English
Take heart, and let us be strong for our people and for the towns of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therefore quite thee lyke a man, and let vs be valiaunt for our people and for the cities of our God: And the Lorde do that which is good in his owne eyes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the LORD do that which seemeth Him good.'

King James Version (1611)
Be of good courage, and let vs play the men, for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Be thou courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, and the Lord shall do that which is good in his eyes.

English Revised Version
Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

Berean Standard Bible
Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
be thou a strong man, and fiyte we for oure puple, and for the citee of oure God; forsothe the Lord schal do that, that is good in his siyt.

Young's Literal Translation
be strong and strengthen thyself for our people, and for the cities of our God, and Jehovah doth that which is good in His eyes.'

Update Bible Version
Be strong and we shall be strengthened for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh shall do that which is good in his eyes.

Webster's Bible Translation
Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

World English Bible
Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do that which seems him good.

New King James Version
Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

New Living Translation
Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord 's will be done."

New Life Bible
Be strong. Let us show ourselves to have strength of heart because of our people and the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His eyes."

New Revised Standard
Be strong, and let us be courageous for the sake of our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be strong, and let us put forth our strength, for the sake of our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, - and, Yahweh, do what is good in his own eyes.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Be of good courage, and let us fight for our people, and for the city of our God: and the Lord will do what is good in his sight.

Revised Standard Version
Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

Contextual Overview

⁶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men. ⁷ And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. ⁸ And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. ⁹ When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians: ¹⁰ And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. ¹¹ And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. ¹² Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. ¹³ And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. ¹⁴ And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Be of good: This is a very animating address, and equal to anything of the kind in ancient or modern times. Ye fight pro aris et focis; for every good, sacred and civil; for God, for your families, and for your countries. Such harangues, especially in very trying circumstances, are very natural, and may perhaps be found in the records of every nation. Several instances might be quoted from Roman and Grecian history; but few are more remarkable than that of Tyrtaeus, the lame Athenian poet, to whom the command of the army was given in one of the Messenian wars. The Spartans had at that time suffered great losses, and all their stratagems proved ineffectual, so that they began to despair of success; when the poet, by his lectures on honour and courage, delivered in moving verse to the army, ravished them to such a degree with the thoughts of dying for their country, that, rushing on with a furious transport to meet their enemies, they gave them an entire overthrow, and by one decisive battle brought the war to a happy conclusion. Numbers 13:20, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:6, Joshua 1:7, Joshua 1:9, Joshua 1:18, 1 Samuel 14:6, 1 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 17:32, 2 Chronicles 32:7, Nehemiah 4:14, Hebrews 13:6

play: 1 Samuel 4:9, 1 Chronicles 19:13, 1 Corinthians 16:13

the Lord: 2 Samuel 16:10, 2 Samuel 16:11, Judges 10:15, 1 Samuel 3:18, Job 1:21

Reciprocal: Judges 18:9 - be not 1 Samuel 17:37 - Go 2 Samuel 2:7 - let your 2 Samuel 24:3 - General 1 Kings 2:2 - and show Esther 4:16 - if I perish Psalms 60:12 - we shall Proverbs 27:17 - so

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Be of good courage, and let us play the men,.... This Joab said, not only to encourage Abishai and himself, but in the hearing of the rest of the officers of the army, and of many of the people, to hearten them to the battle; who might be somewhat intimidated with the number of their enemies, and the position they were in, being before and behind them; and therefore he thought proper to make such a speech to them to animate them to light:

for our people, and for the cities of our God; that the people of Israel might not be carried captive, and their cities spoiled and plundered; and instead of being cities where the people of God dwelt, and he was worshipped, would, if taken, become the habitations of idolatrous Heathens, and where temples would be erected to idols, and the worship of them; these were the arguments he used to engage them to fight manfully for their country, the liberties and religion of it:

and the Lord do that which seemeth him good: tacitly suggesting that victory was of the Lord, and that it became them to do their part in fighting courageously, and leave the issue to the Lord, on whom alone success depended.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the cities of our God - This rather indicates that the relief of Medeba was one of the immediate objects in view, and consequently that at this time Medeba was still in the possession of the Reubenites. To prevent an Israelite city falling into the hands of a pagan people, and the rites of Moloch being substituted for the worship of Yahweh, was a very urgent motive to valor.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 10:12. Be of good courage — This is a very fine military address, and is equal to any thing in ancient or modern times. Ye fight pro aris et focis; for every good, sacred and civil; for God, for your families, and for your country.