2 Samuel 18:3

Contextual Overview

¹David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ¹ David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ¹Then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ¹ Then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ¹ And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaynes of thousandes and of hundredes ouer them. ¹ David counted his men and chose captains over 1000 and captains over 100 to lead them. ¹ And David mustered the people who were with him, and he set over them commanders of hundreds. ¹ Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ¹ David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. ¹ And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds ouer them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Thou shalt: 2 Samuel 21:17

if we flee: 2 Samuel 17:2, 1 Kings 22:31, Zechariah 13:7

care for us: Heb. set their heart on us

but now: The particle attah, Now, is doubtless a mistake for the pronoun attah, Thou, and so it appears to have been read by the LXX, Vulgate, and Chaldee, and by two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's manuscripts.

worth: etc. Heb. as ten thousand of us, Lamentations 4:20

succour: Heb. be to succour, 2 Samuel 10:11, Exodus 17:10-12

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:23 - and all this 1 Samuel 14:38 - chief Jeremiah 40:15 - wherefore Acts 19:30 - the disciples Romans 5:7 - some

Cross-References

Genesis 32:5
I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' "

Genesis 32:5
I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.'"

Genesis 32:5
and I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"

Genesis 32:5
I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"

Genesis 32:5
And haue oxen, asses, and sheepe, menseruauntes, and womenseruauntes: and haue sent to shewe [it] my Lord, that I may finde grace in thy sight.

Genesis 32:5
I have many cattle, donkeys, flocks, and servants. Sir, I am sending you this message to ask you to accept us.'"

Genesis 32:5
and I have oxen, asses, flocks, menservants, and maidservants; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.'"

Genesis 32:5
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"

Genesis 32:5
Y haue oxun, and assis, and scheep, and seruauntis, and hand maydis, and Y sende now a message to my lord, that Y fynde grace in thi siyt.

Genesis 32:5
And I haue oxen, and asses, flockes, and men seruants and women seruants: and I haue sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the people answered, thou shalt not go forth,.... They were as resolute as David:

for if we flee away, they will not care for us; to pursue after us;

neither if half of us die, will they care for us; they will make no account of the victory; but if they could slay David, or get him into their hands, it would be more to them than if the whole army was routed:

but now [thou art] worth ten thousand of us; not only in our own esteem, but in the account of the enemy, who had rather thou shouldest fall into their hands than ten thousand of us; and as the advantage to them, so the loss to us would be more than ten thousand men:

therefore now [it is] better that thou succour us out of the city; either by sending them provisions or recruits, that might be there in reserve, if necessary; or by being ready to receive them into it should they be repulsed; or rather by his prayers to God for them; so the Targum,

"now it is better that thou pray for us out of the city;''

that is, that the Lord would help us; and so most of the Jewish commentators understand it of helping them by his prayers and counsels.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Succour us out of the city - David, with a reserve, would hold the city, and either support the bands in case of need, or receive them within the walls should they be compelled to flee.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 18:3. But now thou art worth ten thousand of us — The particle יתה attah, now, is doubtless a mistake for the pronoun אתה attah, thou; and so it appears to have been read by the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Chaldee, and by two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.