3But the people said, |You shall 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 you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.|


In Context

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

2 David sent forth the people, a third part 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. The king said to the people, |I will surely go forth with you myself also.|

3 But the people said, |You shall 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 you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.|

4 The king said to them, |I will do what seems best to you.| The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, |Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.| All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:3 in Other Translations

The New International Version of the Holy Bible

18:3But the men said, "You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."

The King James Version of the Holy Bible

18:3But 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.

The Douay-Rheims Version of the Holy Bible

18:3And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us.

The American Standard Version of the Holy Bible

18:3But 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.

The Darby Bible Translation of the Holy Bible

18:3But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth, for if we should in any case flee, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; for thou art worth ten thousand of us; and now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.

The English Revised Version of the Holy Bible

18:3But 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 succour us out of the city.

The Webster Bible Translation of the Holy Bible

18:3But 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 shouldst succor us out of the city.

The Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

18:3And the people say, 'Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set their heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set their heart unto us — for now like us are ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.'

The American King James Version of the Holy Bible

18:3But the people answered, You shall 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 you are worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that you succor us out of the city.