2 Samuel 18:3

3 Then the troops said, "You will not go out, for {if we must flee}, then {they will not care about us}; even if half of us die, {they will not care about us}, but now, you [are] like ten thousand of us. And so then, [it is] better for us that you be in the city to help."

2 Samuel 18:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:3

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.

2 Samuel 18:3 In-Context

1 Then David mustered the people who [were] with him, and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

2 David sent forth a third of the troops {under the command of Joab}, and a third {under the command of Abishai}, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the remaining third {under the command of Ittai} the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, "I, even I, {will certainly go out} with you."

3 Then the troops said, "You will not go out, for {if we must flee}, then {they will not care about us}; even if half of us die, {they will not care about us}, but now, you [are] like ten thousand of us. And so then, [it is] better for us that you be in the city to help."

4 The king said to them, "I will do what seems good in your eyes." So the king stood at the side of the gate [while] all of the troops went out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 The king ordered Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "With respect to the young man Absalom, [deal] gently for me." And all the troops heard when the king ordered all of the commanders concerning the matter of Absalom.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "fleeing we must flee"
• [b]. Literally "they will not set heart toward us"
• [c]. Literally "they will not set heart toward us"