2 Samuel 18:2

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

David divided the troops into three groups: one-third under Joab, one-third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one-third under Ittai the Gittite. Then the king said to the troops, 'I will also go into battle with you.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־יוֹאָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת בְּיַ֖ד אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם׃

Transliteration

wa-yəšallaḥ Dāwid ʾet-ha-ʿām ha-šəlišit in-hand-of-Yôʾāb and-ha-šəlišit in-hand-of ʾĂbîšay son-of-Ṣərûyāh brother-of Yôʾāb and-ha-šəlišit in-hand-of ʾIttay ha-Gittî wa-yōʾmer ha-meleḵ to-ha-ʿām going-out I-will-go-out also-I with-you.

Grammar Details

• *wa-yəšallaḥ*: waw-consecutive + piel imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he sent out
• *Dāwid*: proper noun, masculine singular - David
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *ha-ʿām*: definite article + common noun, masculine singular - the people/troops
• *ha-šəlišit*: definite article + ordinal number, feminine singular - the third (part)
• *Yôʾāb*: proper noun, masculine singular - Joab
• *ʾĂbîšay*: proper noun, masculine singular - Abishai
• *Ṣərûyāh*: proper noun, feminine singular - Zeruiah
• *ʾIttay*: proper noun, masculine singular - Ittai
• *ha-Gittî*: definite article + gentilic noun, masculine singular - the Gittite
• *wa-yōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *ha-meleḵ*: definite article + common noun, masculine singular - the king
• *yāṣōʾ ʾēṣēʾ*: qal infinitive absolute + qal imperfect 1st common singular - I will surely go out

Word Meanings

• *šālaḥ*: to send/send out/send away
• *šəlišit*: third (part)/one-third
• *yad*: hand/power/authority
• *yaṣaʾ*: to go out/come out/exit

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And David sent a third of the people under the command of Joab, a third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will surely go out with you myself also.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And David{H1732} sent forth{H7971} the people,{H5971} a third part{H7992} under the hand{H3027} of Joab,{H3097} and a third part{H7992} under the hand{H3027} of Abishai{H52} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah,{H6870} Joab's{H3097} brother,{H251} and a third part{H7992} under the hand{H3027} of Ittai{H863} the Gittite.{H1663} And the king{H4428} said{H559} unto the people,{H5971} I will surely{H3318} go forth{H3318} with you myself{H589} also.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And David{H1732} sent forth{H7971}{(H8762)} a third part{H7992} of the people{H5971} under the hand{H3027} of Joab{H3097}, and a third part{H7992} under the hand{H3027} of Abishai{H52} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870}, Joab's{H3097} brother{H251}, and a third part{H7992} under the hand{H3027} of Ittai{H863} the Gittite{H1663}. And the king{H4428} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the people{H5971}, I will surely{H3318}{(H8800)} go forth{H3318}{(H8799)} with you myself{H589} also.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And sent out of the people one thirde parte vnder Abisai the sonne of Zeru Ia Ioabs brother, and one thirde parte vnder Ithai the Gethite. And the kynge sayde vnto the people: I wyll go forth with you also.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Dauid sent foorth the third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and the thirde part vnder the hand of Abishai Ioabs brother the sonne of Zeruiah: and the other third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite; the King said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Dauid set foorth the third part of the people vnder the hande of Ioab, and the third part vnder the hand of Abisai the sonne of Zaruia Ioabs brother, and the other third part vnder the hand of Ithai the Gethite: And the king said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, `I certainly go out -- I also -- with you.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And 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. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And 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. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  David then sent out the army– a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops,“I too will indeed march out with you.”

Referenced Verses

• Judg 7:16 : 16 Gideon divided the three hundred men into three groups. He placed trumpets and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, into the hands of all of them.
• 2 Sam 15:19-22 : 19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Why should you go with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.' 20 ‘You only came yesterday, so why should I make you wander with us today? I must go wherever I can. Return and take your brothers with you. May kindness and faithfulness be with you.’ 21 But Ittai answered the king, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be—whether for death or for life—there your servant will be.' 22 David said to Ittai, 'Go ahead, cross over.' So Ittai the Gittite and all his men and their families crossed over with him.
• 2 Sam 17:11 : 11 'This is my advice: Gather all Israel to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and you yourself lead them into battle.'
• Ps 3:6 : 6 I lay down and slept; I awoke again, because the LORD sustains me.
• Ps 27:1-3 : 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers come against me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamps against me, my heart will not be afraid; though war rises against me, in this I will be confident.
• Ps 118:6-8 : 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I will look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
• Judg 7:19 : 19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the guards had been changed. They blew their trumpets and smashed the jars in their hands.
• Judg 9:43 : 43 So Abimelech took his army, divided them into three companies, and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked them.
• 1 Sam 11:11 : 11 The next day, Saul divided the people into three divisions. They entered the camp during the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
• 2 Sam 10:7-9 : 7 When David heard of this, he sent Joab and all the army of mighty warriors. 8 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob, along with the men of Tob and Maacah, were stationed by themselves in the open field. 9 When Joab saw that battle lines were drawn up against him both in front and behind, he chose some of the select men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. 10 He placed the rest of the people under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.