2 Samuel 18:3
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“But 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.””
A short, plain-language explanation of 2 Samuel 18:3 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“But 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.””
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.”
King James Version · Public Domain“But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“And the people say, `Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set <FI>their<Fi> heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set <FI>their<Fi> heart unto us--for now like us <FI>are<Fi> ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.'”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo 2 Samuel 18:3 — 7 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 17:10Joshua did as Moses had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
- 2 Samuel 10:11“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
- 2 Samuel 17:2I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king
- 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
- 1 Kings 22:31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
- Lamentations 4:20The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”
- Zechariah 13:7Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,against the man who is My Companion,declares the LORD of Hosts.Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered,and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).