The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:4 Explained

2 Samuel 18:4

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.

YLT: 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,

Darby: And the king said to them, I will do what is good in your sight. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:1-15 - The End Of An Unfilial Son
Absalom's army was soon across the river under Amasa, David's nephew, 2 Samuel 17:25-26. Though political reasons constrained David to flight, his heart bled for his wrong-headed and evil-hearted son, and he gave urgent directions for his safety. Let us here learn something of God's own heart of love. We may have been heartless and thoughtless, have defied His authority and refused to give Him His rightful place; but He gives charge concerning us, desires that we may be spared the full results of our actions, and yearns for our return.
The eastern tribes had rallied so enthusiastically around David's standard, that he soon found himself at the head of a great army, which, to judge from 2 Samuel 18:12, was absolutely loyal to him. But Joab saw farther than the ordinary soldiers and knew that there could be no peace while Absalom lived. He had forfeited his life, according to Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 21:21; Deuteronomy 21:23. See also 2 Samuel 17:2; 2 Samuel 17:4. His head being caught in the fork of a tree, it seemed, indeed, as if he were cursed according to the law, Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 18:4 mean?

and said to them the king whatever seems best to you I will do So stood the king to beside the gate and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־ יִיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־ יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְכָל־ הָעָם֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ לְמֵא֖וֹת וְלַאֲלָפִֽים

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲשֶׁר־  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִיטַ֥ב  seems  best 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה  I  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד  So  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יַ֣ד  beside 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַשַּׁ֔עַר  the  gate 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָם֙  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יָֽצְא֔וּ  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
לְמֵא֖וֹת  by  hundreds 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וְלַאֲלָפִֽים  and  by  thousands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Number, masculine plural
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Samuel 18:4?

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