2 Samuel 18 · Verse 1

2 Samuel 18:1

And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

2 Samuel 18:1, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:1 in other translations

BSB	Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
WEB	David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
ASV	And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
YLT	And David inspecteth the people who are with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,
DARBY	And David marshalled the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
BBE	And David had the people who were with him numbered, and he put over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
Webster	And David numbered the people that were with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.

What does 2 Samuel 18:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 18:1-2

2Sa 18:1-4. David Reviewing the Armies. 1-2. David numbered the people that were with him--The hardy mountaineers of Gilead came in great numbers at the call of their chieftains, so that, although without money to pay any troops, David soon found himself at the head of a considerable army. A pitched battle was now inevitable. But so much depending on the life of the king, he was not allowed to take the field in person; and he therefore divided his forces into three detachments under Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, the commander of the foreign guards. 2Sa 18:5-13. Gives Them Charge of Absalom.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David reviews and arranges the people, and gives the command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, 2Sam 18:1, 2Sam 18:2. On his expressing a desire to accompany them to the battle, they will not permit him, 2Sam 18:3. He reviews them as they go out of the city, and gives commandment to the captains to save Absalom, 2Sam 18:4, 2Sam 18:5. They join battle with Absalom and his army, who are discomfited with the loss of twenty thousand men, 2Sam 18:6-8. Absalom, fleeing away, is caught by his head in an oak; Joab finds him, and transfixes him with three darts, 2Sam 18:9-15. The servants of David are recalled, and Absalom buried, 2Sam 18:16-18. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring the tidings to David, who is greatly distressed at hearing of the death of Absalom, and makes bitter lamentation for him, 2Sam 18:19-33. Verse 1 And set captains of thousands - By this time David's small company was greatly recruited; but what its number was we cannot tell. Josephus says it amounted to four thousand men. Others have supposed that they amounted to ten thousand; for thus they understand a clause in 2Sam 18:3, which they think should be read, We are now ten thousand strong.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:1-8

David's over-sorrow. (19-33) Verses 1-8 How does David render good for evil! Absalom would have only David smitten; David would have only Absalom spared. This seems to be a resemblance of man's wickedness towards God, and God's mercy to man, of which it is hard to say which is most amazing. Now the Israelites see what it is to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 18:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּפְקֹ֣דvai.yif.Kodand he musteredH6485

דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

הָעָ֖םha.'Amthe peopleH5971

אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834

אִתּ֑וֹ'i.To[was] with himH854

וַיָּ֣שֶׂםvai.Ya.semand he appointedH7760

עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei.Hemover themH5921

שָׂרֵ֥יsa.Reicommanders ofH8269

אֲלָפִ֖ים'a.la.FimthousandsH505

וְשָׂרֵ֥יve.sa.Reiand commanders ofH8269

מֵאֽוֹת\׃me.'othundredsH3967

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:1

Joshua 8:10
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Exodus 17:9
And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
1 Samuel 8:12
And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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.

numbered.
Ex 17:9; Jos 8:10
captains of thousands.
1Sa 8:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Samuel 18:1
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 Samuel 18:2
And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:1 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	DAVID pues revistó el pueblo que tenía consigo, y puso sobre ellos tribunos y centuriones.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et David passa en revue le peuple qui était avec lui, et il établit sur eux des chefs de milliers et des chefs de centaines.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und David musterte das Volk, das bei ihm war, und setzte über sie Oberste über tausend und Oberste über hundert.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Igitur considerato David populo suo, constituit super eos tribunos et centuriones,